


Just Keep Surviving

by NympheSama



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gore, Graphic depictions of... well... everything, M/M, Violence. Lots of Violence.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-08 21:34:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 83,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12873504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NympheSama/pseuds/NympheSama
Summary: This pretty much follows Clementine through her season 2 journey, picking up around the time that she meets the new group she travels with. She has spunk and attitude and calls BS as she sees it, rather than having a bunch of adults doing stupid things with nobody telling them they're being stupid.





	1. Lost and Found

Clementine ran as fast as she could, but her exhaustion and loss of blood combined, meant that her vision was soon too blurred for her to continue. Her head was pounding, her ears ringing, as she slowly turned in a circle, trying to make out whether the blurry shapes around her were really moving, or whether it was just her own dizziness. As one of the blurs indeed moved towards her, she stumbled back, falling to the floor with a cry of pain as she cradled her injured arm to her chest. She attempted to crawl away with one arm, as the lumbering shape before her lumbered its way forward, sinking to he ground as it lunged toward her. She screamed as she fought the walker off as best as she could, but with only one arm fully functioning and her strength failing, the walker was winning the fight, sinking slowly closer to her, and she knew that any moment the fateful bite would be upon her.

Suddenly a new shape burst into her vision, as the walker above her lost its head, its body dropping onto her, crushing the breath from her lungs. She tried to focus as the walker's body was rolled off of her, and she could hear shouting around her.

'I'm out! Grab her and lets go!' A deep voice boomed, and Clementine tried to turn to see who was talking, but the next moment, she felt arms roughly grabbing her and she looped her arms around an unknown neck as she was lifted effortlessly from the ground.

'Come on, kid. We gotta get!' A second voice spoke to her, and Clementine turned her face into the chest of her rescuer and succumbed to the numbing fog that surrounded her mind, as the man carrying her began to run. When she felt the man carrying her begin to slow, she forced the foggy restraints of darkness aside, and became acutely aware of two things immediately. One, she was held securely to someones chest, as they carried her. Two, that her arm hurt like a bitch.

She recalled her rescue, and released her arms from her saviors neck, biting her lip to hide a hiss of pain as she moved her arm. She turned her face up to examine her rescuer. A young man held her tightly, carrying her as if she weighed nothing. She stared at his face, drinking in the tan brown of his hair, the dark eyes in the handsome face that wasn't marred by scars or ruined by the telltale hardness and lines of stress that had begun to age every face on those living in such a time. As soon as the man caught his breath and shifted his weight, she hastily turned her eyes back down to her own lap. She needed to decide quickly whether she should trust these men who had rescued her, or escape them to try and find Christa.

'I think... I think we're good.' The other man spoke, his voice a slow rough timber of a matured man with a southern drawl, and Clementine glanced briefly in his direction from under her cap. A balding man with a trace of a beard and kind eyes was bent double, catching his own breath after their sprint away from danger.

'Yeah... Yeah, we're good.' The man holding Clementine replied, and for a long moment the only sound was that of the wild animals hidden within the woods. She sensed their eyes on her, but she did not look up. 'Hey, you alright?' He asked her, and she debated on whether to answer him at all. His voice was soft, calm and friendly. He spoke with an accent that hinted at southern.

'...' Clementine turned her head away, because really, the guy could see, plain as day she was pretty goddamn far from alright. The men exchanged glances, before the man holding her looked back at her, trying to capture her gaze, which she stubbornly avoided.

'Ok...' He sighed, finally seeming to give up. 'I'm gonna just take that as a "no".' Clementine winced as pain sliced through her arm, when the man holding her began walking.

'What are you doing out here?' Asked the older man.

'Where are the uh, the people you were with?' Asked the other gently, and she sensed his eyes flicking between herself and the path, and could even tell he was trying his hardest not to jostle her. 'There's no chance you made it on your own this long...' He added.

'...' Clementine ducked her face down, her eyes welling with tears. Where was everyone? Everyone she was with, was either dead or missing. And she was to blame for all of it. She stubbornly held her tongue, and bit her bottom lip to stem the tide of tears that threatened to overwhelm her. The man carrying her sighed heavily, and Clementine could imagine him rolling his eyes.

'The group's not gonna be pleased about havin' another mouth to feed...' The older man murmured, perhaps hoping Clementine wouldn't hear him. She expected them to talk about her, and was surprised to find that they instead kept their own silence for a time after that.

'Look, kid...' The younger man said gently. Clementine begrudgingly looked up at him, though she quickly turned away again after meeting his dark brown eyes. 'I uh... I hate to break it to you, but I am an expert at talking to girls who don't want to talk to me...' Clementine bit her lip to keep from smiling, as the other man quickly commented on the young mans statement.

'You've certainly had enough experience.' The elder man said.

'Thankyou, I do not need your help with this...' The man carrying her replied sarcastically. Clementine fought hard to stop herself from laughing, it was relaxing to hear them talk so normally around her. She furrowed her brow and bit her lip, debating whether she should continue to keep her silence.

'Well...' The man carrying her spoke again, sighing when he again received no response from her. She looked up at him, biting her lip and watching him with wide eyes as he spoke. 'I'm Luke, and this is Pete.' He said with a soft but crooked smile, and Clementine was unnerved to find herself suddenly feeling as safe as she had ever felt with Lee. Her unease went unnoticed, as the other man tagged a friendly 'hey, there' to Luke's introduction. When she said nothing, both men sighed wearily, and the man carrying her seemed to droop his shoulders slightly. She dared a glance up, and met saddened, worried eyes. She hastily looked away, blushing as she tried to find her voice.

'I can walk...' She muttered at length, not once looking up at either man. She stared at her legs, and expected at any moment to be set on her feet again.

'Oh, is that so? 'Cause the last I saw, you could barely crawl away from that lurker back there.' Luke replied, although he sounded amused by her response as much as convinced. It could have just been that he was pleased with himself for finally getting her to talk, but she hoped that someone who rescued damsels in distress couldn't have quite such a big ego as that. He seemed genuinely relieved to have heard her finally speak, for he even began to walk straighter again. Clementine clenched her good hand, and said nothing. 'Look, you're in bad shape, kid.' Clementine turned her eyes to the ground, watching it disappear beneath Luke's feet. Clementine sighed as she released her clenched fist, realizing that if she were going to trust these men, she needed to do it entirely, and that meant giving them the whole truth.

'My friend and I got attacked...' Clementine said, picking her words carefully. She couldn't let these people think her weak. But then, she had already resolved to trust these men, and after all; they were helping her, with no expectation of reward.

'Hmm...' The older man mused, flashing a look at the man carrying her, that Clementine did not miss, before he turned his gaze to her. 'These folks mention what they were after?' He asked, and though Clementine knew he meant to sound lighthearted and merely curious, she noticed the tense set of his shoulders as he waited for her to answer. She hesitated, and then decided that being honest was her best option at the present moment.

'They might have just wanted our food...' She said, looking down at her arm. It stung like hell, and she wished she had her backpack with its tiny bottle of painkillers. 'We were cooking some sort of weasel...' She mused quietly, not realizing she had spoken aloud until the younger man carrying her replied.

'They attacked you for a weasel..?' He asked incredulously, lifting her slightly closer to his chest as he stepped over a broken branch on the path. Clementine said nothing, but relished the extra heat the movement provided her, and tried to subtly shift herself so she could press her face closer to the warmth. 'Damn... That is low.' He said. Clementine saw from the corner of her eye that he glanced at the elder man as they continued walking through the now near silent woods. 'They, didn't mention any names, right..?' He asked, and again Clementine noted that while he tried to sound nonchalant, his hands tightened, implying a greater importance to her answer than he was willing to admit to. When Clementine didn't answer immediately, he continued with another question, this time catching her eyes so he knew she had heard him. 'They weren't searching for anybody..?' Clementine said nothing, but shook her head minutely, which she instantly regretted as it made her vision foggy again.

'My name...' She said, shifting her weight slightly as she tried to mask her discomfort. 'I'm Clementine.' The two men shared a look, smiling at each other. Clementine felt slightly irritated that they were amused on her behalf, but she was still more preoccupied with how she had so quickly come to feel safe around the younger man, Luke.

'It's nice to meet you Clementine.' Luke said, looking pleased as he gazed down at her while he continued to walk carefully. She met his eyes shyly, uncertain of her own conflicting feelings as they churned within her. To trust someone so quickly was often a danger in these times, but she also couldn't bring herself to distrust the man. 'For now, we're gonna take you back to our group, okay?' He smiled at her, and Clementine let herself feel gratitude that she had not dared to feel for a long time. These people were helping her, because they could, and they wanted to. Even Christa had only stayed with her because of a promise she had made to a dead man. It had been so long since she had felt like perhaps she had some hope for her future. 'We got a doctor with us, and you look like you could use some... OH SHIT!' There was no warning before Luke's reassuring warmth was suddenly snatched from her, his arms retreating from her body as she were radioactive. She cried out in agony as she landed on her wounded arm, tears stinging her eyes as she slowly righted herself, and looked up at the now pacing man above her.

'What, what is it?!' Pete said, his gaze flicking between Luke and Clementine. Clementine stared up at Luke with hurt, watching as he took several large steps away from her as if she were contagious.

'She's... she's been bit, man.' He said, running his hands up into his hair as he stared at her crumpled form on the ground. 'FUCK! Fuck, fuck, fuck...' He muttered as he paced, his eyes flicking between her, and anywhere else. 'What're we gonna do, man? Fuck... fuck...' His tormented gaze landed on her, and Clementine fought back the urge to cry as best she could.

'No! It was a dog!' She said, cradling her bitten arm before her. She risked a glance at Luke, and was hurt by the so drastically different expression on his face. Where there had been warmth and kindness only moments ago, now there was only fear and suspicion. She lowered her eyes and cradled her injured arm.

'I didn't see any dog Clementine...' Pete said sternly, shaking his head sadly.

'Come on, kid!' Luke spat, glaring down at her as he resumed his nervous pacing. 'We just saw you with those lurkers back there!'

'No, no, no, no! I'm telling you the truth!' She cried, wishing she had never tried to feed Sam the stray in the first place. But, her life was filled with many a regret now, and this was just one more to the list. 'Just look at it, please!' Clementine pleaded, trying her best to stay calm. Luke and Pete continued to stare down at her. She was desperate for them to believe her. She met Luke's gaze as he looked at her and silently pleaded with her eyes. 'Please.' Luke turned away, while Pete crossed his arms, and if Clementine weren't so afraid for her life, she might have laughed at the way they both sighed the same weary sigh.

'What, and have you sink your teeth into Pete's neck?' Luke muttered spitefully, 'no way!' He yelled, turning back to her. 'I don't think so!'

'Why's it gotta be my neck?' Pete asked, watching Luke with amusement.

'Cause, I don't know a dog bite from a mosquito bite from a damn lurker bite!' Luke cried, his distress rising at the thought of his friend in so imminent danger. Pete shook his head at the younger man, and turned his gaze back to Clementine.

'Hmm...' Pete murmured thoughtfully, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe his own thoughts. He unfolded his arms and stepped closer to where Clementine lay sprawled on the ground. 'All right.' He crouched down beside her, and held out his hand to her. 'Let's see it.'

'Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, watch yourself!' Luke called to him, and Clementine turned an irritated glare toward him. 'Hey, don't look at me like that! You're the one tha's bit here, okay?' He said, turning away from her accusing glare. She continued to stare at his turned back, finding it easier than to face the man examining her arm so thoroughly.

'See?' She muttered quietly, finally averting her eyes as Luke turned to look back at her.

'Is it uh... is it like she says?' He asked, and Clementine noticed from the corner of her eye that he slowly approached, stopping right beside Pete.

'Hmm...' Pete mused, as Clementine rolled her eyes and repressed a sigh of frustration. She wondered if perhaps it might not be a better idea to just have them leave her behind. 'Well, could be a dog. Hard to say.' He finally concluded. He glanced up from the bite to meet Clementines gaze. 'So where'd this "dog" go? The one that did this?'

'Now what...' Luke muttered, before saying louder, 'What does that matter Pete? Seriously.'

'I...' Clementine felt her heart clench at the echo of the tortured cries of the hurt animal, and turned her face to the floor so they wouldn't see her eyes should the treacherous tears that were stinging, actually fell. 'I killed it.' She almost whispered. She shut her eyes as the memory hit her, forceful as all painful memories were.

'What?!' Luke's incredulous cry startled her, and she looked over at his angry face. 'Really? A dog shows up and bites you and you just, kill it?'

'What would you do?' Pete asked, turning a withering glare on the younger man. Clementine felt a rush of gratitude for the man, he might not believe her, but he still stood up for her. That meant a lot in these tormented times.

'I don't know...' Luke muttered, as he walked away from them.

'It attacked me!' Clementine shouted at his retreating back, and she felt embarrassed by her outburst when he turned back to glare at her.

'Still...' He said, before lowering his gaze as if he were embarrassed himself. 'You don't... you don't kill dogs.' Pete shared a brief amused look with Clementine at the other mans sulking, before he became serious again.

'Clementine?' He asked.

'Yes?' She replied.

'You tellin' us the truth?' Clementine stared at him in response, raising her chin in defiance of his question. 'You look me in the eyes when you answer.' He said firmly. Clementine knew if she wanted the help she so needed, she had to answer. Her pounding head was making it difficult to think clearly, and so she met the mans eyes with an easy confidence.

'...' She raised her chin, and stubbornly refused to answer, indignation and disgust raging through her at the insinuation she would lie at all, let alone over something so serious. Pete stared at her for a long moment, before she saw a glimmer of amusement reappear in his eyes.

'Hmmph... All right, Clementine.' He said, standing and offering her his hand. 'That's good enough for me.' He smiled as she took his hand and slowly got to her feet, wobbling as she tried to stand on her own.

'What?!' Luke roared, clearly dumbfounded by the fact Pete had said such a thing, 'She didn't even say anything!' He cried, glaring at her. Clementine wanted to return his glare with one of her own, wanted to feel angry at his hurtful words, but she only felt tired, and she turned her eyes away from him to hide her pain.

'Girl doesn't like being called a liar.' Pete said calmly, as he started walking again. 'I got a good bullshit detector, Luke. That's why you could never beat me at poker.' He added as he passed the other man. Clementine would have giggled at the exchange, had she not been so exhausted. She clumsily followed after Pete, walking slowly so she didn't stumble too badly.

'Pfft, you don't always beat me at...' Luke seemed to notice he was being distracted, and frowned as he gestured toward Clementine, though she barely noticed. The rushing sound of water in her ears made everything sound far away, and Clementine had enough trouble focusing on the path. 'All right... How can you be sure?' He asked.

'Well, I'm sure I ain't willin' to leave a little girl in the woods to die, when we got a doctor with us who can make the call.' Pete snapped, stopping in the middle of the path as he turned back to glare at Luke. 'We can have Carlos take a look at it first.' Luke looked down at Clementine, as she swayed gently on the spot, weariness invading her every muscle.

'Nick ain't gonna like this...' He said quietly, as he looked back at Pete. 'Not with what happened to-'

'You don't have to remind me of that, boy.' Clementine looked up at Pete's sad tone, noticing that Luke seemed to regret his words by the way his eyes shifted guilty to the side.

'Right. Sorry, sir.' He muttered. A long silence hung between the three of them. Clementine tried hard to stop her eyes from blurring, but it became harder with every breath she took. The urge to give in to the foggy darkness around her was so tempting. Pete raised his hand and gently patted Luke's shoulder, setting things to right between the two men. If she had the energy spare, Clementine would have rolled her eyes at the macho display.

'Come on.' Said Pete, turning to lead the way again. Luke fell into step behind him, and Clementine turned to follow. She stared at the ground mostly, watching her feet move over the earth beneath them, willing them to just keep moving a little longer. She glanced up occasionally to make sure she hadn't lost her guides, and though she had fallen behind them slightly further than she would have liked, she was able to make them out easily enough. After what seemed like an age, they came to a ridge at the edge of the woods. Clementine raised her head to look upon a cabin, and felt a wave of dizziness strike her like a blow to the head.

'Clementine, are you feelin' alright?' Pete asked. Clementine noticed both men were watching her slow approach, and she fought to understand the mans question.

'I'm fine... just... tired.' She managed, struggling to fight the words from her mouth.

'Well, you better be fine.' Luke said. She turned her eyes to him to see that though his stance suggested an angry determination, there was a concern in his eyes that betrayed it. Though she doubted the concern was for her sake, so much as his own, or his groups. Despite the pain it caused her, she could not bring herself to be mad at him anymore. 'Cause I ain't carrying you anymore with that bite on your arm.' Well, perhaps she could be a little mad at him. She used every bit of energy she had left to send him a withering glare, and felt it completely worth the effort to see his amused expression afterwards.

'Don't worry... about...' Clementine lost her track of thought, her words trailing of as she felt the exhaustion and dizziness swell up and consume her. She tried to stay on her feet, but the darkness slowly stole her control, and she felt herself tilt sideways.

'Oh, shit!' Luke's voice was faraway, like from underwater. The last thing she saw, was Luke's expression quickly change from amusement to concern, as he raced toward her. The fog in her mind stole her sight as she fell, and she felt a calmness settle over her.

Lee...

Her last thought was of the man who had saved her in so many ways, her friend, her mentor, her second father. As she peacefully remembered all the things that Lee had said to her, the times he had comforted her, she saw his face smiling at her, and she wasn't afraid of the imminent death that awaited her anymore. The pain and the fear all melted away, as darkness washed over her and she fell into the black depths of the unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got a awesome comment; posted next chapter in response XD
> 
> What can I say I'm very shallow. I love getting love, almost as much as I love giving love :3
> 
> So, my thanks to anyone who has been reading so far - I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do :)
> 
> x My love to you all x


	2. Safety First

_'Sweet pea..?'_

_'Mmm...' Clementine yawned and fidgeted, getting herself more comfy where she lay on Lee's lap. 'Five more minutes..?' She pleaded sleepily._

_'Aw Clem, I wish more than anything I could let you have them baby girl... but we gotta get you up now. It's time to get back out there sweetie...' Clementine groaned and tried to make herself as small as possible, hoping Lee wouldn't be able to move her if she compacted all her weight in his lap. She felt so safe, curled in his embrace, she felt like the world couldn't hurt her. 'Come on now, up you get.' Lee's arms shifted, scooting her into an upright position. She rubbed at her eyes and stared at him sadly. Smiling softly, he looked just as he always had, safe and warm and calm._

'Don't you...'

'... said...'

'... what the FUCK...'

_Clementine frowned and looked around, seeing nobody else in the motel room she shared with Lee. She turned back to him, but the voices were louder, they were shouting, it was terrifying to hear them but not be able to see where they were coming from._

_'Lee...' She whispered, tucking herself into his side and feeling immediately safer when his arm wrapped around her shoulders. 'I'm scared...'_

_'I know ya are Clem, but its okay...' Clementine looked up her savior, her hero in this upside down world since the day he rescued her from her old tree-house. Lee looked down at her sadly, and reached with his free hand to tuck a stray wisp of hair back under her cherished baseball cap. 'It's all gonna be okay sweet pea.'_

_'You promise..?' Clementine asked uncertainly, grasping hold of his hand before he could drop it back to his side. Lee smiled down at her and she felt her own small smile when she saw the familiar way his eyes softened._

_'I promise.'_

_'_ Now, hold on...'

'... Like hell...'

'She's just...'

'... my ass...'

_Clementine clutched Lee's hand tighter, determined not to let go, the voices were getting louder, and whoever they belonged to, they seemed angry. Lee gently rubbed his thumb across the back of her smaller hand, calming her as best he could._

_'Lee...' She whispered, leaning closer to him and burying her face in his shirt. She scrunched her eyes tightly shut as she inhaled deeply and was immediately overwhelmed with the familiar scent. '... I don't want to go...'_

Clementine awoke laying on the ground beside the cabin Luke and Pete had shown her from the ridge, right before she passed out. She cracked open her eyes, though all she could see at first were blurry shapes around her. She guessed from the animated movements that the blurry shapes were the bodies of the intrusive voices which had woken her. She tried to move her head slowly and was immediately overwhelmed with a sickening strike of pain through her skull. She shifted her weight, gritting her teeth against the pain as she managed to lift her head enough to make out the four people crowded around her. One was a woman, who appeared to be incredibly pissed off. Her chocolate skin was bathed in moonlight, and she made more than one severe looking gesture towards Clementine's position on the floor. The other three were men, and from the way the largest man behaved, Clementine guessed that he was the angry woman's husband. Pete was the third man, who was arguing with a younger man, who had dark straggly hair, which he kept beneath a baseball cap. Although in Clementine's opinion, it was an ugly cap, compared to her own. He was also holding a rifle, and though it was pointed at the ground, she eyed the weapon nervously, for it was currently aimed only a few scant feet from her hand. She bit her lip, watching them all for a long moment, before she realized they hadn't noticed that she had awoken. Her arm blazed like a burning log, and she knew if she had a hope of surviving the night, she needed to get them to help her.

'... Please-'

Clementine jumped as the gun went off, he bullet hitting the ground where her hand had been only moments before. Hastily deciding that these people were crazy bastards, she scrambled back on her arms and twisted herself around, hurriedly forcing herself to her feet. She pushed her legs as hard as she could, but a second shot sounded, and she felt the sudden whoosh of air beside her face, which told her the shot had been very close indeed. She froze, panting heavily as she trembled. She raised her hands and turned around, her shoulders hunched and her eyes on the floor, before she took a few tentative steps towards them.

'Keep your finger off the trigger, boy!' Pete yelled, snatching the gun from the dark haired man as he shook his head at him. 'You're lucky my nephew can't shoot for shit...' He muttered angrily in her direction. Clementine watched from the corner of her eyes, trying to make herself as small as she could. The cabin door suddenly sprang open, and Luke rushed onto the deck.

'Whoa! Whoa! What the fuck?!' He cried, looking between the four adults before resting his gaze on Clementine. She was confused when his expression morphed from surprise to concern, and he began to run toward the steps to join them.

'You idiot!' The woman snapped. 'Every lurker for five miles probably heard that-'

'You're the one tellin' me to fuckin' shoot 'er!' The dark haired man interrupted, jabbing a finger accusingly at the woman.

'Everybody just calm down for a second...' The dark skinned man walked around the group, coming to a halt beside the angry woman. Clementine slowly lowered her hands, shifting one hand across her chest to grip her wounded arm, keeping her head bowed to show her compliance and submission. She saw Luke from the corner of her eye as he joined the ring of adults before her.

'Clementine!' She glanced up at her name, caught off guard by the genuine concern she heard in his voice. She met his eyes only for a moment, though it was long enough to have been unsettled by the panic and concern in them.. 'You okay..?' She rolled her eyes and huffed a sigh, sending him a brief glare that clearly answered his question for him. She was pleased to see the worry ease slightly, and hear him give a light chuckle at her antics, before she looked back at the ground.

'She tried to run, man!' The dark haired man snapped defensively.

'Well, Nick, can you really fuckin' blame her?!' Luke said sarcastically, glaring at the other man. Clementine decided that "Nick" was now an asshole name, and made a mental note to never have anything to do with anyone called "Nick."

'...' Clementine glanced up at the faces surrounding her, finding varying emotions clearly displayed. She couldn't understand why Luke seemed so upset, considering he had treated her like she was a leper once he found out about her dog bite. 'Just let me go...' She said quietly, forcing her words to come out calmly. 'If you don't want to help, I'll just leave, and you'll never see me again.' She met Luke's gaze and saw him watching her sadly.

'Don't... Look...' He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. 'We got a doctor right here, okay..? He'll have a look...' Clementine was torn between the desire to thank him for his help, and plead again to let her go, but she was prevented from doing either when he angrily turned to glare at the other adults around her. 'Now what the hell is wrong with you people?! Okay, she's just  _scared!_ ' Clementine lowered her gaze, feeling conflicted by Luke's outburst. She felt pleased that he was defending her, of course, but also wondered why. What could have changed so, to have made him treat her so differently from before she lost consciousness.

'We're all scared Luke,' snapped the angry woman. 'Don't act like we're the ones being irrational just because we don't buy her bullshit story.' Clementine grit her teeth together to keep from screaming, not sure why such a thing was so unbelievable to these people. Perhaps it was just that it was too simple. When a bite was the world recognized sign of a death sentence, you forgot that there were other things that even could bite, immediately fearing the worst. When she thought about it a little more, she realized that if she were in their positions, she would be as scared as they were, and she could understand their hesitance. Though that didn't mean she had to like it. Or them.

'No way she survived out here on her own!' Nick said, and Clementine bit her lip to keep herself from kicking him in the shin. 'Why are we even arguing about this?!' A new man drew Clementine's attention from Nasty Nick, as she began to mentally call him. A Latino man, who appeared both kind and yet suspicious to her, as she slowly walked towards her, parting the other adults where they crowded around her.

'Let me take a look,' he said. He had a Spanish accent, dark hair and mustache, with dark eyes to match. He paused before her, eyeing her like she was a wild animal about to bite him. She almost laughed at the thought, considering her situation, but it was as depressing as it was amusing and she was able to contain herself. She stared at him for a long moment, unsure of whether to trust him. Unable to decide, she sought out Luke with her eyes.

'It's okay,' he said, smiling reassuringly when he saw her eyes find him. 'Go on, he's a doctor.' He met her eyes with confidence and warmth, something she had not expected after his treatment of her upon discovering her injury. She was conflicted by his apparent flip of attitude, but never the less, she felt he was still completely trustworthy. She looked at her arm, and then up at the man she guessed to be the Carlos that Pete had mentioned in the woods. As she held her breath, she gently pulled back her sleeve, grimacing in pain as the flesh stuck to the fabric, before offering him her arm.

'Damn,' gasped the large man at the back of the group. He was staring at the wound with no small amount of shock and sympathy. 'That musta  _hurt._..' Clementine rolled her eyes. Apparently as well as being insanely suspicious, they also had a tendency to understate the obvious. She winced suddenly, as Carlos gently prodded the torn flesh on her forearm.

'Hmm,' he mused. Clementine nervously glanced at Luke, as he stepped closer. He smiled at her, and made as if to reach out for her shoulder, but seemed to change his mind, instead reaching back to rub at his neck. 'Whatever it was, it got you good...' Carlos continued to examine her wound, never looking up at her. She couldn't tell if that was bad or good.

'This isn't how we do things, man.' Nick started, stomping towards her. She wanted to recoil, and put more distance between him, but with the doctor examining her arm she was forced to watch his approach with growing fear. When Luke suddenly stepped in front of her, directly into Nick's path, she felt a flood of relief she hadn't felt since she saw Lee in that awful room at The Marsh House. She closed her eyes, and forced the memories away as Nick continued to rant. 'When you're bit, you get put down. End of story. I'm not going through this again.' Clementine's eyes snapped open, and she stared at Nick in a new light. His attitude was suddenly so much easier to understand.

'No one's suggestin' that...' Luke said, raising his arms to ward Nick off. Though she couldn't see his face with him facing Nick, she thought he must appear angry, for Nick couldn't seem to meet his eyes.

'We... could take her arm off...' Clementine gasped, staring at Pete with horror. Luke and the others all turned to the older man with varying expressions. Doubt, incredulity, anger and shock all apparent. Seeing everyone stare at him silently, Pete walked closer and elaborated. 'I... know that worked for a cousin. Down in Ainsworth...' He paused as he looked around the group, though he avoided Clementine's eyes. 'We could try that.'

'You, you wanna...  _maim,_  her like that..? A little girl...?!' Luke spat. Clementine felt a rush of gratitude at his apparent disgust with the idea.

'It won't work.' Said the angry woman. 'You'll just be making it worse on the girl.' Clementine couldn't tell if that was to defend her or meant to imply they should simply kill her instead, but she decided perhaps the angry woman wasn't  _all_  bad after all.

'It's crazy!' Cried her husband. 'No one's gonna volunteer to do that!'

'I would.' Pete said quietly, glancing her direction. She hoped he could see how betrayed she felt by his offer. 'If it meant savin' her life.'

'Then what?!' Asked Nick. 'How would we know it worked?' He demanded.

'It wouldn't.' Clementine said softly. The group of adults all turned to her, surprised at her interruption. She looked up at them all, meeting each pair of eyes before she continued. 'That doesn't work.' She said louder, her voice catching on her final word. Hey eyes stung, as she fought to keep from crying at the memory of Lee's butchered arm. She noticed Luke's expression, first confusion, then surprise, before it melded into a heartbroken understanding. She looked away before her tears could fall. Silence befell the group, before Luke spoke up.

'Just, let Carlos have a look first...!' He said firmly. She didn't dare look at him again, instead looking toward the cabin door as it cracked open.

'Who's she?' Asked a girl that Clementine guessed was only a few years older than herself. Clementine stared at the girl, who seemed completely unprepared for the world she lived in. Her hair was too long, a weakness. She wore red glasses and had an air of, unawareness.

'Sarah?!' Called Carlos, slowly rising to his feet as he turned toward the door. 'What'd I say? Stay inside.' He said firmly. The girl, Sarah, looked despondently at the floor, before silently shutting the door again. Carlos sank back to his knees, examining her arm some more.

'If you don't want to help me, I get it, I do.' Clementine said, and the doctor glanced up at her as she quietly spoke to him. 'I'd understand. I didn't mean to be any trouble. I just want to stop the bleeding and then I'll go. You'll never see me again.'

'Clementine, don't...' Luke said, reaching toward her.

'I promise.' She added, cutting him off. Luke stared at her with despair and she met his eyes with determination.

'And where, exactly, would you go?' Carlos asked, drawing her attention from Luke's distraught expression.

'Does it matter?' She asked. Carlos looked up, surprised by her frank response. 'Away.' She said. Luke made a distressed noise at her reply, but was given no chance to try and dissuade her before Nick spoke up.

'Forget it.' He said forcefully. 'You wouldn't get five feet.' Clementine glared at him, quickly glancing at all of the gathered adults as she felt her temperature rising with her growing temper.

'You don't know a thing about me.' She said quietly, yanking her arm free from Carlo's examination. He stared up at her in surprise, while the others watched on in silence. 'I survived the outbreak  _alone,_  when I was  _eight years old!_  I walked through an entire  _herd_  to get out of Savannah, and I survived. I was attacked by bandits, and I got away!' She shouted, as angry tears fell upon her cheeks. She could tell Luke wanted to reach for her again, but he seemed to sense that it wouldn't be wise in her current state, and so he was forced to merely watch her sadly. 'I've been from Atlanta, to Macon, to Savannah, to Jacksonville, to this middle of nowhere stupid cabin! And you know what? I am  _still_  alive..!' She screamed. In the following silence, broken only by her heavy breaths, the others all exchanged unsettled glances. She wiped her good arms sleeve over her eyes. 'So don't stand there and tell me I wouldn't get five feet,  _Nick...'_  She spat, glaring at him. 'You don't know  _shit._ ' Luke's eyebrows raised, and she thought she saw him try to hide a hitch in the corner of his lip by coughing loudly.

'A dog...' Carlos muttered to himself, taking up her arm again. 'Hmm... could be.'

'Look, I don't know what took a bite outta her... but still...' Pete said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that hung over them all. If Clementine wasn't still so upset with him, she might have appreciated his attempt to gloss over her outburst. 'She's just a kid. Worst case scenario, she turns, and we can deal with it.' Carlos released her arm and stared up at her for a moment, but Clementine stubbornly kept her eyes averted. He sighed and rose to his feet, turning to the other adults.

'So... what do you think..?' The large man asked nervously.

'Was it a lurker?' Nick asked. Clementine noticed for the first time that they called them lurkers, as opposed to walkers. She resolved to continue calling them walkers as she always had, and refused to admit, even to herself, that it was no small part just being stubborn to see if it would annoy them.

'A bite like that...' Carlos said, shaking his head. Clementine's heart thundered in her chest, waiting for the verdict like a criminal would have when on trial, before the world shifted. 'Could be anything.' Her heart stopped. She had to concentrate on forcing breath into her lungs, as she was overcome with shock.

'Seriously?' She whispered. Luke shifted slightly closer to her, and she met his confused expression with wide eyes. 'I think you need a new doctor, this one must be broken.' Luke barked with surprised laughter, and the others turned towards them suspiciously. Luke waved their concern away and smiled at Clementine, trying to get his remaining chuckles under control.

'Only one way to find out.' Carlos continued, as though he was never interrupted.

'How?' Asked Pete.

'We wait.' Replied Carlos. Luke watched the exchange somewhat disinterestedly, almost as if Clementine's comment had eased his worries about her completely. She herself followed the conversation intently, concerned about where this could lead.

'What?!' The angry woman snapped.

'By tomorrow morning, if the fever's set in, we'll know if she's gonna turn.' Clementine wasn't sure she could understand what the doctor was saying. She shook her head and rubbed in her ear with her finger, attempting to clean it out. Luke watched her, hiding his amusement behind his hand. 'In the meantime, we can lock her in the shed.' Luke suddenly dropped his hand, looking at Carlos in shock.

'What?!' Clementine gasped, unable to believe what she was hearing. She turned to Luke and frowned at him. 'Seriously, I think he's broken - you need a new one. You lock me in a shed overnight, it's gonna get infected, so.. I'm  _probably_ gonna have a fever...' She said, speaking slowly as if to an idiot.

'The girl is in bad shape, Carlos...' Luke said reproachfully, his eyes expressing his dissatisfaction with this plan of action.

'We have all the stuff needed to clean that up inside the cabin,' the large man said, 'we could probably get by with...'

' _Alvin,'_  hissed his wife, ' _please!'_

'But yeah...' He said, his shoulders slumping sadly. 'We can't do nothin'.'

'I'm not wasting supplies on a lurker bite.' Carlos said firmly, turning to glare at Clementine like she was the cause of the issue, which she was. 'If it turns out you're telling the truth, I'll clean it and stitch it up for you in the morning...' He added, reluctantly in Clementines opinion. He turned and walked back toward the cabin.

'But...' Clementine began, taking a step after him. He turned, and she saw in his eyes was a determination she would not break. He had decided, and she would not change his mind. She narrowed her eyes at him. 'Seriously,  _how_ did you ever manage to keep your job before the world failed? You are the  _worst_ goddamn-'

'Clementine, let me show you where the shed is!' Luke said suddenly, cutting off her acidic comment. She looked up at him dispassionately, seeing him shake his head minutely. She rolled her eyes, and huffed a heavy sigh, turning away from them all. She heard Luke come and stand beside her, but she refused to acknowledge his presence.'I'm sorry. It's the best we're gonna get...' Luke whispered to her. She glared balefully up at him for a moment, before averting her eyes. He appeared torn between amusement at her attitude and genuine sorrow for her situation.

'Please don't ever show me your worst...' She said. Luke laughed quietly, and she glanced toward him. She couldn't help the tiny tug at the corner of her mouth, as it turned upwards from the easy way she made him laugh. Perhaps she would forgive him for dropping her in the woods. Eventually. Nick walked over to Pete, and gestured at the gun.

'Finger off the trigger, son...' Pete said, after some hesitation.

'I ain't your, son.' Nick spat angrily. Luke frowned over at the two and walked over to join them.

'Don't be like that, man.' He said, coming to a halt beside the dark haired, bad tempered man. Nick glanced back at Luke, before he turned back to Pete, and snatched the gun from his hands.

'It's alright.' Said Pete. 'Boy's got his mom's temper...' Clementine noticed that Nick gripped the gun tighter at the words, but he said nothing further to the man. Instead he turned to Clementine, and glared at her, though with less heat than when she had first awoken.

'C'mon.' He said. She looked down at her arm, and then raised her head high, as she walked ahead of him, with his gun trained securely on the back of her head.

'This is just a waste of time, you'll see...' Clementine could hear the angry woman's vicious words even as she walked away, but she refused to let the hurtful words get to her. 'And when she turns, I ain't gonna be the one, cleanin' up the shed.' Clementine glanced to the side, as Luke walked up beside her. When he turned to look at her, she quickly faced forward again, avoiding his gaze. She whimpered slightly, as her arm throbbed painfully with every step she took.

'Look, hold out the best you can, Clementine...' He said quietly. He faced forward as they came to the shed, reaching out to open the door for her. 'And we'll see what's what in the morning.'

'I already told you what's what, Luke.' She said, noticing that he looked both surprised and pleased as he glanced over at the use of his name. 'Ain't gonna change overnight.' She met his gaze, and neither said anything further. She could see how conflicted he felt, that he didn't want to leave her in the shed anymore than she wanted to go in there, but he had to go along with his group. Not wanting to make him feel worse than she already had, she smiled weakly at him, before she lowered her eyes, and walked through the shed doors. When she turned to face him, he was glaring hard at the floor. He looked up at her with pain and regret, and she felt bad that she had allowed herself to make such a scene earlier. Nick watched silently, uncertainty and mistrust the only emotions she could discern. She turned back to Luke, and tried to smile more convincingly. 'You're cleaning service sucks,' she said, gesturing over her shoulder at the messy interior of the shed. She saw a glitter of amusement in his eyes, before he sighed, and reluctantly closed the doors. Just before he shut them completely he paused, and looked up at her.

'I'll get someone right on that ma'am.' He said, and she couldn't help but laugh quietly at his continuation of her joke. He sighed again, as he finally shut and bolted the doors, sealing her inside. 'I'm sorry.' He whispered through the doors. 'Hold on.'

Clementine didn't answer him, and after a long moment, she heard his footsteps as he began to move away. She heard Nick complaining, but she didn't register what he was saying. She was alone, locked in a shed, with no light source other than the moonlight through the cracks in the roof and no heat. If she wasn't dead by morning from loss of blood or infection, she would die from the cold. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, holding it a short while, before exhaling slowly. Calmer now, she opened her eyes, and began to search for a way to escape her prison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have several chapters ready for posting, so I can post either once a day for now or stretch it out to once a week maybe (get me a chance to get some more ready to post too!) Anyway, second installment! Hope you liked it, if you read it :p
> 
> x My love to you all x


	3. Droppin' Eaves

Clementine walked through the small shed, letting her good hand trail across the walls as she moved, feeling her way around. She found a fold down table, and propped it up, and upon closer inspection, she realized that this gave her the perfect opportunity to examine the shelf that was just slightly out of her reach. She carefully climbed up on the table, testing it with small increases in her weight. When she was satisfied it wasn't going to give out under her, she stood on her tip toes and just managed to peek over the top of the shelf.

'Score...' She muttered, smiling to herself, as she stretched forth her good arm to try and pick up the hammer she could just make out in the dim lighting. The tip of her fingers barely grazed the hammer, and she grunted as she stretched herself as far as she could. She frowned with frustration and concentration, as she tried to move the hammer just slightly closer. 'Mmmph..!' She cried out as the shelf suddenly gave way, toppling her to the floor. She landed on her wounded arm, and bit her lip to stem back the bitter sting of tears in her eyes. Gritting her teeth together as hard as she could, she pushed herself to her knees, where she sat for a time until the worst of the pain had receded. While she sat, she looked around her small makeshift prison, noticing the nasty looking anchor on the wall and making a mental note to keep away from it as much as she could. When she felt able to control herself better, she stumbled to her feet and walked to the shelf which now lay on the ground. Steeling her nerves, she reached forward and pried the shelf to the side, and she grinned happily upon seeing the hammer laying on the ground within easy reach.

Feeling better now that she could at least defend herself, should the worst occur, she stepped slightly closer to the nasty looking anchor. She eyed it warily, before judging it secure enough to examine the small tackle box beneath it. She hastily snatched up the box, and sat it on the workbench. She closed her eyes and muttered a prayer of hope, before snapping her eyes open and yanking open the lid. She was both pleased and dismayed at the single reel of fishing line remaining and the small knife.

'This will do for stitches I guess...' She mused to herself, plucking the reel from the box. With her other hand she brought out the small knife, and with a shrug she shoved it into her back pocket. She noticed a faint breeze around her ankles, and looked back to where the box had been sat on the floor. She carefully set the fishing wire on the worktable, shifting the box itself to the far back end of the bench. Keeping her eyes on the small portion of wall that didn't seem to match, she held out her hand, and felt a definite waft of air against her fingers. She reached forward with both hands and felt around the edges of a hastily patched hole. Grinning to herself, she grabbed her hammer, and again felt around the edge of the patched hole, this time pulling out the supporting nails whenever her fingertips found one. When the board was free, she got to her feet and took a few deep breathes to calm her rapidly beating heart. She then kicked the board as hard as she could. She paused, listening for the telltale groan that she had attracted a walkers attention. When no sound was forthcoming, she kicked again at the board, and again a third time. At last, the board thumped to the ground, and a hole small enough for her to crawl through was visible. Clementine tossed her hammer in the air, and was pleased there was nobody around to see her miss the way she failed utterly to catch it. She hastily picked it up and shoved it down the waistband of her jeans.

Once she was outside the shed, she drew a deep breath, realizing she hadn't noticed while inside the shed, just how stale the air was inside it. She crouched low, and slowly began to creep towards the house. She crept down the small hill, keeping a close eye on the windows so she wouldn't get caught by the group inside the house. She had a feeling that getting caught out of her prison would be a good way to get shot, and she really didn't want to get shot. She noticed movement in one of the rooms, and carefully made her way up the small staircase. She crept to the window, and peeked through the corner of the glass, where she spotted the angry woman, and her large husband, Alvin.

'It makes me feel like a fucking idiot when we're not on the same page.' The angry woman said, very angrily indeed. Clementine wondered if she had high blood pressure, she seemed to be constantly trying to fight with people, her husband especially.

'We  _are_ on the same page!' Alvin replied, waving his hands over his head in exasperation. Clementine felt incredibly sorry for the man, he seemed so genuinely nice, she couldn't understand why he punished himself by being with the angry woman.

'Not out there we weren't.' She snapped, turning her head away from him. 'Not about the girl! I  _saw_  you get soft!' She put one hand on her hip and glared at the wall, while shaking her head in disgust.

'What do you want me to do, Bec?!' Alvin cried, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed. 'Put a bullet in her?' Clementine looked down at her arm and bit her lip, feeling bad that she was the cause of this mans pain. She hadn't meant to cause anybody any trouble. All she wanted was to fix her arm, and once she had managed to do just that, she would leave. By the time they came to check the shed in the morning, she would be long gone, and they would never have to think of her again. She felt a twinge of sadness from the thought, and told herself firmly that it was absolutely  _not_ at the thought of leaving Luke. His reassuring presence seemed to have had a bigger impact than she had initially realized, but she was resolved to get as far away from this group as she could by morning.

'I want you to think about  _us,_  about our  _family_ first!' Rebecca said, standing over Alvin with her arms crossed.

'It's  _all_ I think about...' Alvin said quietly, frowning up at his wife. 'So don't give me any shit.' Rebecca stood for a long moment, glaring at the opposite wall from where her husband sat. Without looking at him she dropped her arms and turned to leave.

'I need some air.' She spat, slamming the door behind her. Alvin turned at the sound of receding footsteps beyond the door, before facing forward again. He removed his glasses, and dropped his head into his hands with a heavy sigh. She rubbed his temples as he muttered to himself. Clementine hesitated as she watched him, feeling torn. She watched as the man slowly sat straighter and re-positioned his glasses on his nose. Without giving herself a chance to chicken out, Clementine knocked quietly on the window. Alvin glanced over, before suddenly doing a double take and hurrying over.

'What the hell are you doin'?!' He asked, glancing between her and the closed bedroom door. 'You're either stupidly brave or bravely stupid comin' to this window.' Clementine hesitated. She hadn't thought of actually speaking to anyone to get help, and now that she had acted before thinking it through, she was stuck for how to go about convincing Alvin to help her.

'I...' She paused, lowering her eyes as she bit her lip. She peeked back up at the larger man, and tried to get her heart to calm down its rapid beating, so that she could get her words out. 'I need your help...' She stammered.

'Me..?!' Alvin said, glancing back at the door again. 'Oh, no, no, no, no, no - no. I'm sorry, but I can't do nothin'.' He said, keeping half an eye and ear turned to the bedroom door. 'I got a strong desire to live, and helpin' you is just, invitin' my wife to kill me.'

'Please...' Clementine persisted, frowning. She didn't understand why anyone would want to be with someone so angry as his wife. 'I need to fix my arm.'

'Are you outta your mind?!' Alvin cried in a hoarse whisper. 'Even if you ain't bitten by some lurker - which you probably are - you can't be  _here..._ ' He said, waving his arms as if to shoo her away. 'You gotta get outta here, you understand?' He said slowly. Clementine frowned, unsure if he thought she was stupid from the way he spoke, or a fly from his gestures. 'Get back into that shed, and Carlos'll take care of you in the morning...'

'Pfft,' Clementine rolled her eyes. Her opinion of the good doctor, was that he was not very good at his job. And that was the polite version. 'The doctor who left a bite victim in a shed overnight without even stopping the bleeding you mean? The one who can't tell a dog bite from a human bite? The one who left a trauma victim to shiver in the cold..?'

'Alright, alright, I get it - you don't like him! All the same, you gotta get!' Alvin said, cutting her off from her rant, which she had begun to enjoy. She reluctantly stopped playing, 'List the many of Carlos's faults,' and averted her eyes. 'You can't be seen here...' Alvin continued.

'...' Clementine realized that she needed to attack the situation in a different way, and she fluttered her eyelashes as she looked up at him again. 'I can tell that you're nice...' She said quietly. Alvin seemed completely shocked for a minute, before he narrowed his eyes at her.

'I ain't _nice_.' He said, glaring at her. Clementine smiled, knowing she had already won.

'Yes, you are.' She said happily. Alvin started waving his finger at her, shaking his head at her easy manipulation of his softness.

'Don't you do that, I see what you're doin'.' He said, meeting her eyes earnestly. 'I'm serious, you need to get outta here.' He said, trying to sound firm.

'I saw when everyone was arguing...' Clementine said, ignoring the mans efforts to send her away. 'You wanted to help.' Alvin glanced away, before meeting her eyes firmly.

'You didn't see anything.' He said, though Clementine could see in his eyes that he knew exactly what she meant. 'Look, you gotta get outta here before my wife finds you and makes little girl kebabs tonight!' Clementine pulled away as if struck, the memory of that awful Dairy Farm suddenly slamming into her. She realized she must have gasped in fear, as Alvin was staring at her with a concerned and horrified expression. 'I, I'm sorry, I didn' mean it - Rebecca can be a bit mean spirited sometimes, but she doesn't really  _mean_  to be...' Clementine squeezed her eyes shut and tried to force the memories to the back of her mind.

The smell of the meat on the plate. The sound of Kenny dropping a salt lick on Larry's head. The thought of Lee being shot or worse, eaten, or being  _fed to her._ She had had nightmares for months after that night, tormented by all the different kinds of evil she had seen in that one short space of time. She jumped and almost screamed at the gentle touch to her arm, drawing her from her many tortured thoughts.

'Hey, kid, I-I'm sorry...' Alvin said, watching her carefully. 'I didn't mean to... Jesus... what the hell happened to you..?' The horror in Alvin's expression told Clementine that he had figured out the cause of her reaction. 'Don't cry...' She angrily wiped away the wetness she felt around her eyes and glared at him.

' _Please.'_  She said firmly. 'Help me.' She watched as Alvin's resolve crumbled, and although moments ago she would have been elated, now she felt nothing as he gave in.

'You're... not with Carver?' He asked slowly. Clementine frowned, and shook her head.

'Is he related to Chopper?' She asked sarcastically. Alvin chuckled and seemed to feel better.

'And, you didn't get bit by a dead person?' He said, looking down over his glasses at her, though she noticed he was still grinning slightly.

'No.' She said firmly. 'I won't forget you helped me, when I needed it most...' She added. Alvin sighed heavily and shook his head.

'I bet you won't...' He mused. He glared at her with mock annoyance. 'You realize I'm screwed if anyone figures out I did this..?' He asked.

'It's ok,' she said, smiling cheekily. 'I won't let your wife hurt you!' She even winked to emphasize that she would keep the secret of his helping her. Alvin laughed, smothering it in his hand as best as he could. He shook his head as he backed away from the window, holding up a hand to forestall any questions she might have asked. He turned and opened the door, walking through and carefully shutting it again once he was in the hallway. Clementine turned to the woods behind her, feeling suddenly vulnerable now that she was alone again. She nervously counted the seconds that Alvin was gone, and by the time she had made it to a minute and a half, she heard the door knob turning. She hurried out of sight, and jumped when Alvin's face reappeared at the window.

'I can't help you with the stitches, I'm too squeamish for shit like that,' He said apologetically. 'And I can't get into the medicine cabinet at the moment because everyone is crowded just nearby...' He hung his head and Clementine felt her heart sink, fearing that her quest for aide had come to naught. 'But,' Clementine jerked her head up to find Alvin watching her with amusement, and she jabbed him lightly in the arm for teasing her. 'I did manage to find these... not exactly the best of the best, but, they should be okay for bandages...' He handed over two thin strips of fabric which were slightly stained, but seemed otherwise clean. Clementine took them gratefully, already thinking of the next item on her list of things to find. 'I uh,' She looked up at Alvin's awkward cough. 'I also got you a juice box... In case you're thirsty...' Clementine stared at the small orange box, complete with ready straw, and felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the large man.

'I,' She reached forward uncertainly and met his eyes with some confusion, hesitating before taking the small box of juice. 'Thankyou...' She whispered, and as he nodded kindly to her, she took the drink quickly, as if he might change his mind if she took too long. She stared at the small red fruit on the box with awe. 'I love apples...' She murmured, caught up in a memory of a time at the Motor Inn, when Lee had given her the last half an apple for her days rations.

'Enjoy it.' Clementine's head snapped up with surprise, and Alvin's smile faltered at the look of shock on the girls face. Haunted eyes met his own, before Clementine shook the memory away, and smiled.

'Thankyou.' She said again, stepping back from the window.

'Alvin, house meeting in five minutes.' Carlos's accented voice came through the door. Alvin turned towards the door, and Clementine quietly hurried around the corner of the cabin, hiding out of his line of sight so that when he turned back, the landing was empty. She didn't see the concerned look Alvin sent out into the night after her, and she didn't move until she had heard him shut the window and leave the room to join the others. Clementine too a deep drink from her juice box, almost draining it in one large gulp. She had never tasted something so wonderful. While she finished her drink, she thought about the other items she needed; a needle, and some peroxide. For both items, she was probably going to have to get inside the cabin. She walked down the stairs, and slowly circled around the building, hoping that she would find an open window somewhere. Her luck was both out and in, for though the windows were all secured, she noticed another hastily applied panel on the lower deck of the cabin. She pulled her hammer from her waistband and tugged at the nails securing the board, gently easing the panel aside so it didn't make any noise. She glanced around, not wanting to be caught unawares by a walker in such a confined space. After taking several deep breaths to calm herself, she squeezed through the gap and carefully made her way through the crawl space beneath the cabin floor. She paused when she heard voices, but they were all too muffled to hear what they were saying.

She came to a trapdoor, and was frustrated by the lock that held it shut tight. She tried to pry it open with her fingers, and succeeded only in breaking a nail. Muttering to herself, she whacked it as hard as she could with her hammer, which did exactly nothing other than make an obscenely loud noise. She huffed a frustrated sigh and tapped her foot a moment, before remembering the knife. She brought it out of her pocket and jabbed it into the small gap she could see between the trapdoor and the lock. She grunted as she pushed with all her weight on the small knife, willing it to open the trapdoor and admit her entry to the cabin. She yelped when she suddenly lurched forward, before clapping a hand over her mouth. She waited for the sound of footsteps to approach, and when none came, she checked her knife, finding only that she held the handle. The blade was nowhere to be seen, having flicked away when it snapped. She felt the bite of tears, until she noticed that the trapdoor was admitting a thin sliver of light. With shaking hand, she pushed up on the trapdoor, and was elated when it rose with ease. She scrambled through into the cabin basement, and left the trapdoor open so she could make a hasty escape should she need to.

'Okay, if I were a needle, where would I be..?' Clementine murmured, as she stepped through the basement door to what appeared to be a sitting room. She glanced up the stairs, but saw nobody was there and she relaxed slightly. She heard voices to the left, and though she knew she should just hurry and get out, she couldn't help but be drawn towards them.

'Well, Luke has more to say I guess. Where's Sarah?' Clementine recognized Pete's voice, and sneered slightly. She still hadn't forgiven him for suggesting, and  _offering_ to cut off her arm.

'She's got her book.' Carlos's voice replied, and Clementine thought he sounded rather annoyed. 'She doesn't need to be a part of this.' She rolled her eyes at the mans stupidity. What did he think would happen when he died and left his daughter alone, that someone else would shelter her and protect her from  _every_  little thing as he had?

'For all we know, she could be connected to Carver.' Rebecca said, sounding every bit as angry as Clementine remembered her always sounding.

'Oh come on,' Clementine recognized Luke's voice, and couldn't resist pushing the door slightly so she could peek in at him. He looked as frustrated as he sounded, and though she was mostly annoyed with this group, and was absolutely resolved to leave as soon as she had patched up her arm, she couldn't help but feel warmed at his firm defense of her. Of course it was still as confusing as hell, given his treatment of her in the woods, but it was appreciated none the less. 'There's no way.'

'She could be... we don't know.' Clementine smiled, unable to see Alvin, but clearly able to hear the amusement in the mans tone which meant he didn't really believe what he was saying, but that he was saying it to appease his wife. She wondered if he was remembering her Chopper comment.

'She's connected to somebody.' Nick said, and Clementine frowned. It was the most sensible comment she had really heard so far, barring Luke's defense of her. 'There's no way she's out here by herself.' Distrusting as he was, at least Nick was honest about how he felt, and Clementine could appreciate his honesty, even if she didn't necessarily _like_  it. Or him.

'She said she was with a friend and they got attacked.' Pete said, receiving a murmur of confirmation from Luke.

'Yeah, right!' Scoffed Nick.

'Whoever she's with, they'll probably come looking for her.' Said Carlos, looking displeased by the notion.

'Great,' said Alvin sarcastically. 'They show up and we've got her locked in the shed. I can see they are gonna just  _love_ us.' Clementine felt her heart clench at the mans defense. It wasn't much, but it was kindness, and in a world of death and distrust, a little kindness could mean everything.

'You think we should bring her in here..?!' Rebecca asked incredulously.

'No,' said Alvin, clearly choosing his words carefully. 'I'm just saying it wouldn't look too good.' The group were quiet for a moment, clearly all thinking of how they would react to finding someone from their own group locked in a shed when they needed medical treatment. Lucky for them, nobody was coming for Clementine. Even if she were alive and had escaped the bandits, Christa wouldn't come back for her.

'It's just a precautionary measure,' said Carlos, although he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than that he believed himself. 'Anyone else would do the same.'

'...' Luke opened his mouth, but no sound came out. After a moment, he tried again, and he seemed to have found his volume button again. 'You really think Carver would come after us..?' He asked. Clementine noticed Carlos turn his head slightly and realized he would see her if she continued to listen with the door open. She let the door slip shut, and her last glimpse of him showed that he was turning back to the conversation.

'You really think he wouldn't..?' Nick countered. Clementine could still make out the voices through the door, and she continued to listen, even though every muscle told her to run.

'He's not exactly the type to let things go...' Pete said slowly.

'What happened, happened.' Said Carlos, sounding annoyed. 'There's nothing we can do about it now.' Clementine bit her lip, and hesitantly pressed against the door again, immediately checking Carlos to see if he was looking. When she saw he was looking away, she glanced around the room. Those she could see all looked annoyed, and she guessed that none of them wanted this Carver guy to find them.

Well, let him come, I really don't give a damn.' Alvin snarled. Clementine was shocked to hear such a venom in the kind mans tone.

' _Alvin!_ ' Rebecca chided.

'What?' He asked defensively. 'I don't!' The sound of frustrated sighs collected together, and Clementine could almost see the breath they all took to counter their frustration at their situation. She gathered that these people  _really_ didn't like this Carver person, and she made a note to avoid anyone named Carver should she ever get away from here. When she zoned back into the room, the conversation had shifted.

'You knew she was bit...' Nick mumbled accusingly to Luke.

'Well, what were we s'posed to do, huh?' Luke spat, glaring at the dark haired man with the far inferior cap. 'Leave her out there to die..?' Clementine frowned, because that was pretty much exactly what Luke had wanted in the first place, so again she wondered, why had he changed his mind?

'Better her than us.' Nick replied coldly.

'You'd have done the same Nick.' Pete said calmly. Nick glared at the man hatefully.

'It wasn't the brightest idea.' He said flatly, choosing to ignore Pete's comment.

'Oh, and firin' your rifle was, huh..?!' Luke said, turning angrily to Nick. 'Next time we'll just put up a neon sign that says, "Lurkers Welcome"!' Clementine barely managed to contain her giggle, as she watched Luke make quotation marks in the air with his fingers, gesturing wildly at Nick. Nick glared back at Luke, shoving him in the chest.

'So you're tellin' me, this girl comes outta nowhere, surrounded by lurkers, about to get  _eaten alive..._  and you're tellin' us it was a  _dog..?!'_  Nick cried, his voice rising with his frustration. Clementine held her breath, wondering whether she would finally find out what Luke really thought about her bite. For a long time, nothing was said, and Clementine felt her heart begin to pound, as it became heavier in her chest. She felt tears well in her eyes, and she tried desperately not to gasp with the pain of such rejection.

'Yeah...' Luke's voice cut through the sadness and pain, and Clementine froze as he heard him speak. It was like fresh water after days of stale, and she watched him with fascination and hope as he continued. 'Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but... look, for whatever reason...' He paused, staring at the floor with a frown. He swallowed a lump in his throat, the action visible even from her hiding spot. When he looked back up, it was with determination in his gaze. 'I think she's telling the truth.' Silence prevailed in the room, and Clementine expected Luke to look awkward, however she was pleased and surprised to see that the determination in his eyes stayed firm. He believed her. Such a small thing, but it gave her hope. She quietly shut the door, her curiosity finally satisfied. It was with a lighter heart and an unnoticed smile, that she made her way up the stairs to find herself some peroxide, and a needle.


	4. Still. Not. Bitten.

Clementine crept up the stairs, trying to spread her weight as much as possible so that she made as little noise as she could manage, wincing at any and all loud creaks the old floorboards made. She doubted anyone would actually hear her, from the way they were all arguing worse than children, but she couldn't help but be cautious. If she had been more cautious when travelling with Omid and Christa, then Omid would never have had to try to save her and he wouldn't have ended up as yet another name on the long list Clementine kept, of all the people she was responsible for the death of. If she hadn't been so stupid, he never would have been shot, and then Christa...

Clementine griped her head between her hands and shook it hard. She needed to concentrate. She took a deep breath and viciously wiped away the tears which were trying to escape her eyes. She released her breath and walked slowly towards the door furthest down the hall. She cracked open the door and peeked inside, before hurrying into the room and shutting the door behind her. She stared longingly at the huge bed, unable to remember the last time she had slept on an actual, proper bed. She hazarded a guess that it would have been back in Savannah, which was years. She shook her head sadly, and turned toward the wardrobe. She quietly opened the doors and saw only a few black shirts and a pair of scruffy jeans which lay unfolded on the floor. She scowled, recognizing the attire as Nasty Nicks, and hastily shut the door. She frowned as she looked around, suddenly the whole room just felt entirely less appealing. She glanced at the bed again, biting her lip as she debated. She slowly walked over, and lifted the pillow with one hand, while reaching into her pocket with the other. She tried to control her grin, as she drew out a handful of bugs, and stuffed them into the pillowcase. A quiet chuckle managed to escape her, and she clapped her hand over her mouth, dropping the pillow back into place. She breathed deeply through her nose for a moment, until she felt able to control herself again. With a decided bounce in her step, she turned away and walked to the desk.

'Maybe there's some peroxide or a needle in the drawers...' she muttered to herself, still smiling softly. She though of Duck, as she rifled through the desk drawers. He had freaked out hugely when he found the bugs under his pillow, quacking for his father as he did. Clementine had giggled, as she cuddled against Lee and pretended she was asleep. Nobody had ever called her on it, not properly. Lee had mentioned it once, but nothing more and even he had seemed amused by it. Her smile faded, and her movements slowed, as she recalled Duck as she last saw him; pale and weak, curled into Katjaa's arms... She shook her head and opened another drawer, and was distracted by a shiny gold watch. She picked it up and looked at it, wondering if maybe it might be useful in some way. She also wondered how annoyed Nick would be to find it gone, which was a much greater incentive, and so she pocketed it quickly, shutting the door quietly. With a last look around the room, she decided there was nothing here for her, and after checking the way was still clear, she headed out into the hallway again.

She inched along the hall, and stopped between the two remaining doors. She bit her lip and mentally sang a round of 'eeny-meeny-miny-mo,' before deciding that the door opposite the stairs should be her first call, and she could check the other on her way back down. She cracked open the door, and was greeted by a sink full of water. She hurried inside and shut the door behind her. Glancing around the room, Clementine noticed immediately there was little to offer. She glanced longest at the bathtub and shower, imagining what it must be like to use them. What had been such a chore when she was little, was suddenly so treasured now, in this ruined world. She sighed longingly, and faced the sink, staring at herself in the mirror on the wall.

'You look like shit...' she whispered to her reflection. Her hair was scruffy in its pigtails, and in need of another cut, she thought as she reached up and toyed with it gently. Her eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and she had enormous bags under her eyes from exhaustion and stress. She reached for the mirror, and opened the cabinet. 'Score!' She muttered, as she caught sight of a pincushion. She picked it up and was thrilled to find a needle stuck in it. She smiled as she plucked it from the cushion and drew a small pouch from her pocket. She dropped the pin into the pouch, and placed it all in her pocket again. Feeling optimistic now she had two of the three items she needed, she shut the cabinet door and winked at her reflection, before heading to the door. The sound of footsteps made her pause, her hand outstretched for the handle. She pressed her ear quickly to the door, and knew that whoever it was, they were heading her way. She turned and eyed the room with a pounding heart, fearing discovery, capture or worse. She flicked her eyes from the small towel cupboard to the bath tub and its shower curtain, before settling on the cupboard. She hurried over and opened the little doors, squeezing herself into the small space, and just shut the doors in front of her, before the bathroom door opened.

'Dammit...' The sighed curse drew Clementine's attention, and she peeked through the slats of the doors, to see the angry woman, Rebecca was standing with her head in her hands. Clementine felt uncomfortable, like perhaps this was something she  _really_ shouldn't be privy to, but, there was little she could do about it now. She watched Rebecca walk to the sink, leaning on it heavily as she stared at her reflection. 'Don't they understand..? If Carver ever found out...' Clementine felt incredibly awkward, and wished she had got stuck in the bedroom while Rebecca was in here, at least then she could have hidden a few more bugs in Nick's bed or something.

'I just... I gotta tell him. Gotta tell Alvin... I just gotta bite the bullet, and tell him; I-' Rebecca's sad mutterings carried over to Clementine where she hid, and despite the way she had been treated by this woman, she couldn't help but feel sorry for whatever ill had befallen her. She heard the older woman sob softly, and she wished both that she could comfort her and that she was back in the shed, or anywhere but stuck listening to the pitiful sound. 'He'd hate me... He'd kill me...' Rebecca cried softly, muttering to herself. Clementine did her best not to listen, and instead counted the tiles beneath her feet. After a few moments of feeling sorry for herself, Rebecca seemed to pull herself together again. She washed her face, and dried it on the towel on the rail. She sighed loudly, and hen marched out the door, slamming it lightly behind her. Clementine counted to twenty, the proper way Lee taught her, saying "Mississippi" between every number. When she felt certain Rebecca wouldn't return, she crept from her hiding place, feeling slightly stiff from the cramped position she had crouched in. She shuffled across to the door, and hesitated as she held the knob. Her hands felt clammy and she closed her eyes, as she slowly turned the knob. She cracked open one eye, and peeked through the gap, finding the hallway empty. She released a large breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, and stepped out of the bathroom.

'One more...' She said, eyeing the door beside the stairs hopefully. 'Please be in here peroxide...' She whispered. She slowly turned the handle, and froze as she cracked open the door and peeked through. Sitting on a large bed, was the naive girl who had been scolded for snooping while Carlos had examined her arm. She vaguely recalled her name was Sarah, though she wasn't sure if she hadn't imagined it from the stress and pain she had been under. She was about to close the door again, when the girl looked up, causing Clementine to gasp quietly from shock. She sneaked a look down the stairs before looking back to the girl, pressing a finger to her lips in the hopes that she wouldn't turn her in.

'...' The other girl glanced away, putting down a book she had been reading, before she turned back to face Clementine. 'You're not supposed to be in here.' She whispered softly. Clementine hesitated, before quickly shuffling through the door. 'Hi,' she said, as she shut the door behind her. She cradled her wounded arm before her, ignoring the constant pangs of pain that erupted from the smallest of movements. 'Can you please help me?'

'I'm not supposed to talk to you...' The girl said, nervously tapping her foot on the floor. 'My dad can't know...' She added, clearly more worried about her father finding out than being trapped in a room with a stranger. Clementine was baffled by how the girl could be so very unaware of the world around her.

'Help me, and I won't tell him.' Clementine said, trying her best to seem friendly and trustworthy. 'Hell, help me - and I'll leave, you and your father - everyone; you'll all never see me again...'

'I...' Sarah began, hesitating to help.

'I'm hurt.' Clementine begged. ' _Please_ , help me.'

'I...' Sarah looked at the floor, seeming torn between her desire to help, and loyalty to her group. Clementine couldn't fault her for her loyalty at least. 'I shouldn't.' Her eyes widened as she slowly looked up, catching sight of the way Clementine was gripping her wounded arm. 'What happened to you?'

'A dog bit me.' Clementine said, speaking slowly in case the girl was as dubious at distinguishing bites as her father appeared to be.

'Sounds scary...' Sarah whispered, staring at Clemetine's wounded arm. Clementine shuffled closer to the other girl, watching how her eyes filled with pity behind the red glasses. 'I bet it hurts.' Clementine barely controlled herself, the urge to roll her eyes at a group of people so driven by the need to state the obvious.

'You wanna see it..?' She asked instead. Sarah stared at her arm some more, clearly interested in the morbid idea of viewing the wound properly.

'It uh, it really wasn't one of...  _them...?_ ' Sarah asked, standing up from the bed and crossing her arms over her chest, as if to protect her from the possibility of the bite being contagious.

'It really wasn't.' Clementine said gently. Sarah stared at her a little longer, before seeming to finally decide.

'Okay...' She said, nodding for Clementine to roll up her sleeve. Clementine hesitated, already knowing it would hurt like hell. She cautiously lifted her sleeve from the wound, wincing at the small tearing of hairs as they were pulled away from the blood which had dried around them. When she was finished, she held out her arm, and Sarah immediately recoiled. 'Ew, gross!' She cried, clamping a hand over her mouth as if to stop herself being sick.

'I know, right?' Clementine said, as she began to lower her sleeve again. Sarah still stared at the wound, until finally it disappeared altogether.

'You have to bandage it,' Sarah babbled. Clementine managed to contain herself to a mental eye roll, after all, that was exactly what she was  _trying_ to do. 'Like my dad does.' Clementine also managed to hold back a comment about what she thought of Carlos's abilities as a doctor, and how she would most likely rather do the opposite to the older man.

'I need something to clean it up with...' Clementine said. 'I have a bandage, and a needle. I can manage the stitches, but I need to clean it first... Please, help me.' She pleaded.

'I... I might know where to get something to clean it...' Sarah said, averting her eyes as if she were giving away some terrible secret. Clementine supposed she was in a way, and she tried to be patient with the other girl. Sarah glanced back to Clementine, and met her eyes as she nodded. 'I'll help you.' She whispered. Clementine felt a huge weight in her chest burst at the admission, and she felt a giddy giggle threaten to break free of her.

'Thankyou...' She sighed, her eyes leaking tears of relief.

'I'm Sarah.' Sarah said. Clementine realized the girl didn't know that she had heard Carlos mention her name, and decided not to inform her lest it embarrass her. She stared at the other girl, wondering why she was suddenly so quiet and staring back at her so intently. She realized suddenly that she was awaiting a proper introduction, and she hastened to comply.

'I'm Clementine.' She said, relieved to think she could finally tend her arm soon. She glanced down at the wound, but quickly looked up again when she heard Sarah speak again.

'We're friends.' Sarah said with certainty. Clementine glanced behind herself, making sure there was nobody standing behind her that she wasn't aware of. The distinct lack of another person behind her, told her that this girl truly meant  _she_ was now her friend. This unsettled her on several levels. For one, everyone she had ever called friend was now either dead or missing. Secondly; this girl was a complete air-head. 'Right?' Sarah said, standing from the bed. She looked incredibly pleased with herself and excited at the prospect of being friends with Clementine, probably as she was so unaware of how much death Clementine had been forced to witness. 'We can be best friends - I haven't met another girl my age since  _way_ before...' Clementine felt overwhelmed, she would almost rather go and face the angry Rebecca than have to be having this conversation. 'It's hard, being the only girl, you know?' Sarah continued to prattle, unaware of Clementine's discomfort. 'Rebecca is okay, but, she's  _old._ And that's it...'

'...Yes...' Clementine said hesitantly, '...we're friends.' She tried her best to smile reassuringly, but she could only muster an uncomfortable grimace, torn between the pain of her arm, and the unfamiliar action.

'Promise?' Sarah asked immediately. 'It's important. Friends have to trust each other, no matter what!' Clementine balked at the question. Friendship was a lot to promise in the times they lived in now, she wasn't sure this girl was worth that kind of commitment, however, her arm needed tending badly, and this was her best option.

'I promise.' Clementine said, somewhat uncertainly.

'Me too,' Sarah said, smiling widely. 'Friends.' She all but squeaked, raising her hand and pointing out her little finger. Clementine looked between the girl and her finger as she raised a brow, unsure if she was about to poke her with it or was offering it as a sacrifice to their new formed friendship. When the other girl merely continued to stare at her, she assumed some action was required on her part. She slowly walked forward and mimicked the girls gesture. As soon as her finger met the other girls, Sarah curled her finger and locked the two together. 'A pinky swear is forever.' She said happily. Clementine felt a knot of unease coil in her stomach, hating the way that she had committed herself so completely to this girl. She released her finger and wrapped her hand around her wounded arm again, dulling the pain once more as best as she could. 'I'll see if I can find the stuff my dad uses when I get a cut. Lemme look around...' Whispered Sarah. Clementine watched her walk around the bed and crouch by the nightstand. She felt her cheeks heat in frustration at realizing the very thing she needed might have been so close the whole time. She glanced at the door, feeling nervous that the house meeting could have already finished for all she knew. 'Here, I think this is the stuff...' Clementine turned back to Sarah, and took the offered bottle. Reading it briefly, she nodded in terse satisfaction.

'That'll do...' She said, thoroughly dreading applying the peroxide.

'You can't do that in here though, someone will find you!' Sarah blurted suddenly. Clementine rolled her eyes as she pocketed the bottle, keeping them downcast so the other girl wouldn't see.

'Don't worry, I won't.' She said calmly, turning towards the door. She cracked open the door and peeked out. Seeing nobody nearby, and hearing voices still coming from the kitchen, she crept through to the hallway. 'Thanks Sarah.' She said over her shoulder, before shutting the door behind her. She turned and began the slow descent down the stairs, carefully avoiding the loudest of boards. When she reached the bottom, she crept silently to the basement door, planning to exit the same way she entered. Once she was safely out of the cabin, she released an enormous breath which she hadn't noticed she had been holding. She removed her hat, wincing at the pain in her arm, and ran her other hand through her hair, laughing quietly at her luck. She quickly replaced her hat, and hurried back to the shed, squeezing back through the tiny hole she had left in the back corner.

Safely hidden from view, she removed the prizes of her excursion. With the three items laid out before her, she found herself breathing heavily, her heart pounding wildly in her chest from nerves at what task she must next undertake. The grim reality of stitching her own wound, was off putting to say the least, but if she didn't do it, she could die. Taking deep, shuddering breaths, she slowly raised her wounded arm, and began to gently pull back the sleeve. She winced at the dried blood catching, but kept going, knowing to delay would only make the whole process worse. She eyed the peroxide warily, as she reached out and grabbed it, turning the lid until it came off in her good hand. She placed it on the workbench, and switched the bottle to her good hand, resting her wounded arm on the workbench.

'This is gonna suck...' She muttered, as she mustered her nerve. She grit her teeth, and poured the contents of the bottle over her arm. The pain was both immediate and severe, piercing through her like a thousand knives of sand. She screamed through her teeth, and grabbed her wounded arm with the good, only vaguely aware of the bottle falling to the floor. She watched as her wound sizzled, as it erupted with white foam. She clenched her jaw harder, breathing through teeth as she tried to fight of the sickening floods of pain that wracked her arm. When she saw the foam begin to dissipate, she knew she had to act, and with a shaking hand, reached out to take the needle and fishing wire. She threaded the needle easily, which surprised her, given the way her hands both shook.

'Now the fun part...' She whispered, hoping she would do a decent job this time. She settled her arm on the workbench, and pressed the needle to her flesh. She clenched her eyes shut a moment, whispering reminders to herself. 'Just like Christa showed me...' She finished with, as she opened her eyes, and forced herself to look at the needle. Without giving herself any further time to doubt herself, she jabbed the needle into her arm, pressing it through the wound to the other side of the tear in her flesh. She screamed and released the needle as it pierced the other side of her wound, banging the table with her fist while trying not to move her partially sewn arm. Breathing heavily, she forced herself to her feet, and with enormous strength of will, forced her hand back to the needle. She pulled it through completely, feeling sick at the feeling of the fishing wire move through her skin.

'Okay, okay... I'm okay...' She whispered, bringing the needle around for a second stitch. If she had thought to spare, she would hope they did not hear her screams from the cabin, but her mind was absorbed with her task, and she did not give a thought to the people who held her trapped in a shed. With a shaky breath, she forced the needle back into her arm, jabbing it swiftly straight through the torn flesh and out the other side again. She whimpered, but bit back her screams, managing to will the pain into energy to continue. She squeezed her eyes shut as she pulled the needle out and brought it around for a third stitch. When she opened them again, her sight was blurry. Whether from tears, or just from the sickening pain, she wasn't sure, but she knew she couldn't give into it now. With a deep breath, she stabbed the needle straight through her arm, growling at the pain she felt, but forcing herself to keep momentum. She pulled the needle out the far side, and moved to the final stitch immediately. Her eyesight was worse, blurred almost to the point she couldn't see her arm properly. She squinted her eyes and lined up the needle, thrust it into her torn flesh, and screamed as the needle hit bone. She grimaced and twisted the needle out slightly, before jamming it through the far side of the wound, finally able to pull the fishing wire taught, and tie it off.

She leaned heavily against the side of the workbench, barely able to support her own weight for the moment. She almost threw the needle away, cursing the object for her misery and pain. At the last moment she stopped herself. It wasn't the needles fault Sam bit her, nor that she was in such great pain, but to throw away something which could well have saved her life, and may do again, was irresponsible, and even in her misery, that she could not be. Instead she focused on her breathing, in and out. In and out. In and out. When she felt sufficiently calmed, she reached for the bandage. It was with trembling fingers, that she began to try and wrap her freshly sewn wound. It was far more awkward than she remembered, and her fingers felt slow and unresponsive to her through the waves of pain from her arm. She groaned when she dropped the bandage, and stared at the floor groggily for a moment, before bending down to reach for the small swatch of fabric.

'Garrr...' The hand that suddenly reached for her arm was so unexpected, Clementine almost fell back to the floor. She felt the hand firmly grab her leg, as the monster attempted to drag itself closer to her. She barely managed to grab the edge of the workbench, as she hastily tried to yank away from the walker which had managed to crawl through the hole she had left near the floor. She cursed herself a fool for having not resealed it upon her return, but she had been so focused on her wounded arm she had not considered the potential danger from walkers. She pulled her leg to no avail, merely pulling the walker closer to herself. Instead she twisted herself, angling so that she could kick the walker in the face. She smashed her foot into its decaying face, once and then twice, before it suddenly released her and used its nails to drag itself further through the hole. Clementine fell to the ground, crying out in fear and pain. Her weariness was gone, displaced by a very immediate threat to her life. Again she found her ankle in the grasp of the growling walker, and so she could not escape by merely shuffling herself backwards.

She glanced around, trying to keep her ankle away from the walkers deadly mouth. She caught sight of the rake on the floor beside her, and began to reach for it. With the walker's weight on her legs, she couldn't push herself far enough to quite grasp it, so she turned back, grimacing at the monster which held her trapped. She screamed as the rotten wall gave around the walker, and the thing dragged itself up her small body. She struggled to get her feet beneath its chest, hoping to keep its deadly bite away from her as it attempted to rip into her torso. Its hands flailed, trying to scratch at her face, but her legs managed to lever enough of a gap between them that the thing couldn't reach her. She growled as she pushed her remaining strength into her legs, and thrust them against the walkers chest, throwing it against the far wall. She felt no true relief at the brief reprieve, instead scrambling across to grab the rake in her hands and hurry to her feet.

The walker had clumsily gained its feet by the time she had managed to find her own, and it lumbered towards her with arms outstretched. She threw her weight into her hold on the rake, and tried to force the walker back against the far wall. She caught a glimmer of light reflected in the nasty looking anchor, and looked up at the walker, making her decision. She allowed it to come slightly closer, before ramming the rake into its chest, forcing it back onto the hook of the anchor. She grimaced at the sudden appearance of the walkers intestines, and fought to keep her stomach under control, knowing that she did not have long to act. She glanced around the shed, and her eyes fell on the hammer she had taken when she first crept out. She grabbed it from the workbench, and ran toward the walker. She slammed the hammer into the center of its forehead, screaming wildly as she ignored the splatter of its blood and struck a second, third and finally, a fourth time. She panted heavily, unable to move, as she stared in disbelief at the monster she had slain. The creatures mouth had fallen open, a dark and ominous gaping hole.

'Thankyou Lee...' She whispered, as she closed her eyes. She heard the doors swing open behind her, and felt a minor annoyance over the fact that these people had managed to show up only after she no longer needed their help.

'Holy shit...!' Luke's voice was first to speak, and Clementine figured it was he who had opened the doors. She couldn't help but be amused by his drawn out swear, clearly doubting his eyes. 'Clemen-'

'What the..?' Alvin spoke over Luke, though he sounded further away. Clementine wondered what Luke had been about to say, and figured he would probably finish the sentence later. Pouring her rage and frustration, her hurt and fear into her arms, she tugged at the hammer, and jerked it free with a cry of effort. She took a few steps away, watching the walker to make sure it didn't start to move again. She kept her back to them, the men and woman who had locked her away in a shed to protect themselves from the danger that  _she_ presented to  _them._

'How the  _hell'd_  it get in here?' Nick asked quietly, as though unable to believe his eyes.

'Little girl's tough as nails...' Pete said admiringly. If Clementine weren't still so mad at him, she might have appreciated his approval.

'Are you alright?' Carlos asked. Clementine turned her head to glance over her shoulder, seeing them all huddle safely at the doors, except for Luke, who was walking towards her. She felt a rage she hadn't felt since she had left Lee to die, chained to a radiator so he would never hurt anyone. She felt tears burn her eyes, but they were for her mentor and friend, not these people who left children to die in sheds.

'I. am. still.  _not._ bitten.' She said, enunciating each word clearly as she met each pair of eyes watching her. She saw the shame in their eyes, and she felt the emotions in her heart break free. 'I  _never_ was!' She cried. Luke was still walking toward her, clearly unfazed by her furious stance. 'And you,' she hesitated, sneering towards Carlos, ' _people,'_ she felt a twisted kind of satisfaction at the way Nick rubbed at his neck shamefully, 'left me out here to die.' She finished quietly, wiping her tears with her free hand. She stared at them all, waiting for some kind of response.

'You patched yourself up..?' Luke asked quietly, crouching down beside her. She shifted uncomfortably, not having been expecting him to say such a thing after her outburst. She met his eyes and noticed the guilt he felt was plain to see, but he was also impressed, as he gestured to her recently sewn arm.

'Where'd you get that stuff..?' Nick demanded, while Rebecca also voiced her opinion, 'Did she  _steal_ from us?'

'This doesn't change a thing,' Pete said firmly, 'she hasn't done anything to us.'

'Guys, please...' Luke scolded the group, frowning at them from Clementines side. Clementine hung her head for a moment, thinking over how best to phrase it. She remembered a conversation with Lee, so long ago, in which they both agreed that being honest was usually for the best. She raised her head to meet their eyes without shame.

'I did,' She said. 'I took stuff, and I'm sorry. I really am.' Luke smiled at her, clearly amused and impressed with her resourcefulness and honesty. He got to his feet and jerked his head in the direction of the house.

'And you think you can  _trust_  her...' Rebecca said scathingly, but Luke cut off the rest of her comments as he gently rested a hand on Clementine's back and ushered her forward.

'Yup, and more'n that, I think she's pretty cool.' He said.

'Cool is such an old mans word,' Clementine sighed, rolling her eyes.

'Hey, I go all outta my way, save your bacon and say good things about you, an' I get called old for it?' He laughed, jabbing her lightly in the shoulder. Clementine smiled and punched him harder in his arm, and he rubbed the spot roughly. 'Damn kid, you're a real badass.'

'Only on days I get locked in sheds...' She quipped. Luke groaned and shook his head, but Clementine knew he appreciated the jest for what it was, as he was still smiling at their exchange. She chuckled to herself, and as Luke led her up into the cabin, she found herself thinking maybe there was something to be said for being in a group again.


	5. Past And Present

The silence was oppressive. Clementine sat on a stool beside the counter, her freshly sewn arm being gently examined by Carlos. She winced as he rotated her arm rougher than necessary, and glared at him briefly, before turning her eyes away. The doctor annoyed her on so many levels, his lack of medical ability, in her own personal opinion, being top of the list. She looked around the room, her eyes landing first on the rifle which lay on the table. Innocent enough on its own, but considering Nick stood just beyond it, chewing his thumb nail as he paced nervously, was less reassuring to her, considering he almost shot her twice in the small time she had known him. She thought of the bugs in his pillow, and decided that unless he did anything else to piss her off, they were even; for now.

Luke was pacing opposite Nick, frowning at almost everyone as he continuously seemed unable to decide what to do with his arms. She watched as he first crossed them, then uncrossed them, then gripped one arm, then scratched his neck, then cracked his knuckles, then ran his hand through his hair, then crossed his arms, then tapped his fingers, it was exhausting just watching him as he paced back and forth beside the dining table. She also found his antics amusing, and she found herself grinning as she watched him. He noticed her gaze and narrowed his eyes at her apparent amusement over his discomfort and worry for her, and she hid her grin behind her free hand, raising a brow to ask if perhaps that made him feel better. He rolled his eyes at her, and resumed his pacing, but she noticed he was no longer quite so fidgety and that his own lips were curled upwards at the corners.

'This might hurt a little..' Carlos said, drawing her out of her own amusement. She rolled her eyes, before grimacing at his understatement. The way he twisted her arm to better examine the wound in the limited light, almost tore one of her stitches open, and she barely controlled her desire to yank her arm away and call him one of the more obscene words she had learnt from her time travelling with Lee and Kenny.

'Ow.' She grit out flatly, glaring at him.

'How's she look?' Luke asked, his arms finally hanging calmly at his sides. Clementine threw an exasperated look at him, clearly stating her opinion of anything Carlos said, and she couldn't fight the small feeling of warmth that spread through her chest at the concern, and amusement, she could see in his eyes, all for her well-being. She felt a tightness in her throat, and looked away, terrified by the strength of her trust in this man.

'Her suturing skills need some work,' Carlos said at length, not taking his eyes from her arm. 'But, otherwise...' Clementine watched and waited, as Carlos raised his head and met her eyes only briefly, before looking over at Luke. 'I'd say she should be fine.' Clementine blew out a loud breath of air, wiping her good hand across her brow as if relieved by this news on her apparent good health.

'So, it uh- ahem-' Luke began, trying to keep a straight face as Clementine pulled faces at Carlos's back, as he turned to wash his hands in the sink behind them. 'It wasn't a lurker bite?' He finished, raising his hand to try and hide his grin. For someone who had dropped her at the briefest glimpse of her bite, he certainly seemed certain it wasn't so terrifying anymore. She threw him a withering glare briefly, and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, before she turned back to pull more faces at Carlos's turned back.

'If it was, the fever would have set in, and her temperature would be through the roof.' The doctor said, as he reached for the soap above the sink. Clementine wondered if he felt like he had performed some sort of surgery, the way he was cleaning his hands, or if she was just a  _lot_ dirtier than she had realized. She glanced up, as Nick suddenly swept out of the room, looking more than a little angry. She watched from the corner of her eyes, as Luke frowned, and then marched after the dark haired man, pushing through the door to follow his friend. Clementine lifted her arm, examining the nice clean bandage Carlos had applied without her realizing. She hated to change her opinion of him, but had to admit to herself that it was a nice bandage, and he had done a better job than she had of applying it. But considering she had dropped it, as opposed to actually apply it, that wasn't exactly hard.

'I wish you wouldn't have done what you did.' Carlos said lowly. Clementine dropped her hands and looked over at the mans back, as he was still washing his hands in the sink. She wracked her brain to try and decide which of her transgressions he was referring to. She guessed it was the stealing supplies part, and despite a more than large part of her wanting to be defiantly silent, she decided to accept responsibility for her actions.

'I was hurt,' she said slowly, as if he might not comprehend what she was saying. 'And you weren't helping.' She added, jutting out her chin stubbornly.

'Because we considered you a threat!' He growled as he turned to glare at her, seeming angry at her defending her actions even more than the actions themselves. 'Which you were.' He added more calmly, coldly even. She narrowed her eyes at him and he turned back to face the sink. 'Maybe you still are...'

'No, I'm not.' She bit out. She tried hard to control herself, willing herself not to be made angry by the mans hurtful words, but really, how could the man think it so awful to offer aide to a young girl?

'We put you in that shed, out of concern for the safety of our loved ones.' He said firmly, his irritated tone growing colder the longer he spoke. 'And then you  _escaped,_ and persuaded  _my daughter_  to help you steal from us!' He roared, standing up at last. 'I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.' He said quieter, shaking his hands free of the excess water, before reaching for the small dishcloth. 'But there are a few things you need to know about  _my daughter.'_ Clementine wondered why he felt the need to continue emphasizing that Sarah was  _his daughter,_  as if perhaps she could mistake the older girl for her own daughter. She shook her head free of the confusing thought and tried to refocus on the conversation.

'Okay...' She said uncertainly.

'She isn't like you.' He said flatly. Clementine scoffed and rolled her eyes. She had figured that out from her first sighting of the girl. 'You may not get that initially, but once you're around her for awhile, you'll understand.' Clementine decided not to voice her opinion of how she would rather spend time standing next to a hungry walker than his daughter, and instead merely averted her eyes from his hard glare. He crossed his arms and turned away from her, and she stole glances at his back. 'If she knew how bad the world is... what it's really like out there...' Carlos continued, staring out the window as if it were a magic mirror. 'She would... cease to function.' He said slowly. Clementine rolled her eyes at the mans stupidity, wondering how he had managed to keep his precious daughter alive so long without letting her see the real world. 'She's my little girl. She's all I have left, and I would ask that you stay away from her.' He finally finished. Clementine frowned at his back, for he didn't even turn around to see her reaction to his speech.

'She's got to grow up sometime...' She said plainly, meeting his eyes as he spun around furiously.

'You do  _not_ know what she needs!' He roared, advancing on her with heavy footsteps. He glared at her angrily and Clementine could just tell he was storing the memory of this conversation to throw back at her sometime in the future. She narrowed her eyes and stepped down from the stool, stepping closer to him.

'I  _was_ her.' She spat, feeling pleased at the way she managed to make a grown man take a step back and blink in surprise. 'I was the same, air-headed, spoilt, inconsiderate, selfish child that she is, and do you know what it got me?' She fumed, unable to bite back the angry words as the flowed from her like a river whose dam had just broken. She felt the burn of shameful tears, and she did not try to wipe them away as she glared at him. 'It got everyone,  _everyone,_ that I loved or ever cared about,  _killed._ Everyone who ever protected me, sheltered me, tried to teach me, help me, every _one_ of them, they're all dead. Because I was a stupid little girl, who only cared about herself. So tell me, _Carlos_ ,' She spat his name sarcastically, the very taste of it vile on her tongue. Like the poison of her words, it felt better to get it out then leave it to fester in the wound. 'What exactly do you think is gonna happen to her when you're gone? Do you think she's going to be able to just, stride up to walkers and say, "please don't eat me mr walker, my daddy loved me so much and said I'm special"? Do you really think she will be able to defend herself, if you keep shielding her from the truth? Lee was like a father to me, he was always honest with me,  _always,_ and I  _still_ fucked up and got him killed...' She raved, lost in a torrent of long buried pain and guilt. 'You wanna know the truth Carlos? You need to stop thinking of Sarah as your  _little girl_ and start thinking of her as a  _survivor._ There are no little girls, or little boys, or anything else! There's the dead, and then there are survivors, and _that_ is what I am - and if you want _your daughter_ to be one too, then you better  _stop_ treating her like some fragile little flower and start trusting her to fight for her life, the same as everyone else!'

Carlos stared at her, shaking his head in denial. Clementine sneered at him for his inability to accept the truth. 'You're going to get her killed if you keep trying to protect her from everything Carlos.' She said slowly, turning away and hopping back onto her stool. 'The world isn't kind, there aren't any bookstores anymore where all the bad things are contained inside the pages... You need to wake up and treat Sarah like every other human being left, because she will either die herself, or she will get a bunch of other people killed. You don't get to give her a childhood anymore, she  _needs_ to grow up. You're one of two things in this world now; Dead, or Alive.' Clementine watched Carlos a moment longer, before turning away in disgust. She couldn't bare the sight of his sickening denial any longer.

'She's not like you...' Carlos muttered, as he pushed past her roughly.

'Then the consequences are on your head,' she said, '...not mine.' She hung her head, thinking of all those whose deaths were on her conscience. She heard Carlos stop before exiting, waiting by the door, but she did not look over at him.

'Rebecca was worried you might be working with someone else...' He said quietly. 'That your being here was no accident.' He accused, but still Clementine did not take the bait, and stubbornly refused to look at him. 'I guess we'll find out, but one thing I know for sure...' Clementine fought to resist, but couldn't quite win the battle, and she glanced over, meeting his eyes as he glared at her from the doorway. 'You, are  _not_ to be trusted.' Clementine narrowed her eyes, and bit her tongue, jutting her chin out defiantly. ' _Stay away from my daughter._ ' Carlos said, staring a moment longer, before he shoved his way through the door, leaving Clementine alone to her thoughts. She wished she had known which room was Carlos's, if only to share Nick's bug pillow with the man.

'Who shit in his bed?' Luke's friendly voice raised her from her restless emotions, and she smiled weakly at him. He glanced after Carlos, and made a face at the mans retreating back, bringing a more vivid smile to Clementine's face. He seemed pleased with the response and held up a small bowl and some cutlery. 'I uh, I brought you some food, if you're hungry..?' Clementine eyed the bowl suspiciously, before she broke out in a true grin, and beamed up at him. Her stomach growled in reply, and he laughed lowly at her reaction. He gestured to the table, and walked over. Clementine hurried down from her stool and raced over to the table, sitting in the nearest chair and waiting with her hands in her lap. Luke laughed as she awaited the bowl eagerly, clearly amused by her antics. He placed the bowl before her, and handed her the cutlery, before he took the seat opposite her. 'Well, you ain't gonna be able to eat it just starin' at it, dig in.' He said finally, tiring of watching her just stare and sniff at the food.

'If you knew what some people ate, you would take more time to be sure what you were being handed...' Clementine said, picking up her spoon and taking Luke's advise. She took a tentative bite, and then groaned quietly at the delicious taste of freshly cooked food. The rice was bland, but the few peppers and mushrooms in it were full of flavor, which she tried to savor, before giving up and just shoveling it in as fast as she could.

'And what is it exactly that some people eat..?' Luke asked lightly, obviously curious. Clementine had no intention of answering, but upon glancing up she caught sight of his genuine interest and faint concern, and she sighed, trying to swallow her mouthful.

'You don't wanna know...' She said meaningfully, spooning some more rice out of the bowl. Luke seemed to consider her words for a long time, before deciding not to push her any harder on the subject. He watched her eat in silence for a time, but though Clementine would have thought that creepy with anyone else, she found herself relaxed, and just enjoying his reassuring presence.

'That's gonna leave one helluva scar...' He said after a time, drawing her out of her cocoon of food thoughts. She looked over and saw him gesture to her arm. She followed his eyes down to her recently bandaged wound.

'Better than losing it...' She said, turning back to her food.

'You can say that again,' Luke said, latching onto the conversation now he knew she would answer him. 'Scars, they're way cooler than stumps...' Clementine's eyes widened, and she lowered her spoon from her mouth, his words unintentionally sparking the memory of Lee's mutilated arm. She hadn't realized, when she first saw him in the hotel. She had been so happy to see him, she had thought it scary, but he was Lee, and he was everything to her. She never considered that it might have been her last chance to savor his comforting presence. 'What..?' Luke's voice came to her from outside the painful memories, although she was still trapped in the painful vision. She could vaguely make out Luke's confused expression, seeming worried that he had said something to upset her.

'Nothing...' She said, unconvincingly. She shook her head and forced the images to the back of her mind. They would return in her nightmares, they always did, but for now she was able to focus again. 'I just had a friend, who... lost his arm once. That's all...' She slowly sat straighter, not realizing her posture had completely changed in the short time that had passed. Luke stared at her with pitying eyes, but upon realizing he averted them, knowing that pity would be the last thing Clementine sought. Clementine twiddled her spoon in her rice, her appetite distinctly dulled by the straggling thoughts of Lee that remained.

'Lee?' Luke asked tentatively. Clementine jerked her head up, her wide eyes meeting his cautious ones. He seemed to take confirmation from her reaction, and nodded his head sadly. 'I overheard you mention his name to Carlos...' He admitted sheepishly, scratching at his ear guiltily with his hand. Clementine shook off her shock, and frowned as she looked over at him.

'You heard all that?' She asked. Luke nodded, but gave no verbal response. '...was I too harsh?' She asked quietly, after a long pause. It was Luke's turn to snap his head up, meeting her eyes solidly.

'No,' he said, with barely a hesitation. 'Honestly, Carlos needs to realize he's doin' more harm than good when it comes to Sarah, and well, I think he needed to hear a lot of that.' He said with a small smile, which quickly faded. 'I didn' mean to-'

'It's fine.' She said, brushing off his apology. She took a spoonful of rice and stuffed it into her mouth, saving herself having to speak further. She glanced at Luke, and she saw him biting his lower lip, clearly worried he had overstepped some untold mark. She sighed and swallowed her mouthful, twisting her spoon in the suddenly unappealing rice. 'Yeah...' She said quietly, confirming his theory. 'Lee...' Luke seemed about to say something more, when the door swung open and Nick walked into the room. Clementine forced another spoon of rice into her mouth, knowing she needed the sustenance, before looking up at Nick, feeling both her cheeks puff out as she slightly over filled her mouth. Nick stared at her and she stared right back, slowly chewing and then swallowing her rice before she finally looked away. She saw his shoulders rise, and guessed he was gathering his nerve for whatever reason. She kept her eyes on her bowl, even as he walked up beside her. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed him shifting awkwardly. She also caught sight of Luke, gesturing to Clementine and then making several threatening gestures between himself and Nick. She surreptitiously watched as the two exchanged silent gestures towards her, and each other. If she weren't so confused by Nick's presence, she might have laughed at them both.

'Hey, look,' Nick said finally, much to Luke's apparent smugness, 'Um, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for... well, for being a dick out there.' He said, rubbing his hand over the back of his hat. 'I got kinda aggro, and that was... definitely, not cool.' Clementine bit her lip, confused why the man was apologizing to her. Was it for shooting at her? Or just for  _wanting_ to shoot her?

'Nick's been known to go off every once in awhile, try not to hold it against him.' Luke said, dropping her a wink when he saw her glance his way. She tried her best not to grin, and knew instantly that she had failed. She shoved some rice into her mouth to hide it, but knew Luke had seen her from the satisfied look on his smug face.

'I guess... we all have our moments...' Nick said uncomfortably.

'You, definitely had one out there.' Luke said firmly, though not unkindly. Clementine felt the weight of Nick's blue eyes on her, and knew she had to answer him.

'You were just protecting your friends.' She said, looking up at him. 'I get it.' Nick looked both relieved and surprised, and she saw the gratitude in his eyes which told her he would not forget that she forgave him for being a colossal ass.

'Yeah, well...' He said, rubbing at his neck as he dropped his gaze to the floor. 'I didn't mean to be so harsh. I just... we had a bad experience once...' He added, raising his eyes to meet her own. Clementine was struck with a pain she recognized only too well, a guilt that was acutely familiar. She suddenly felt bad for the bugs in his pillow. A little.

'We've all had bad experiences.' She said softly, firmly meeting his gaze. His blue eyes registered an understanding, a realization that his pain and her own were kindred. He sat heavily in the chair beside her, keeping his eyes locked onto hers as if to understand everything that had happened to her, and to will her the same understanding about himself.

'Nick lost his mom...' Luke said quietly. Clementine tore her eyes from Nick's and looked over at Luke while he spoke to her. She saw a sadness in his eyes, as he watched both her and Nick. 'We took care of someone who got bit.'

'It was my fault.' Nick whispered to her, willing her to understand. She turned to him, and wished she could explain that she  _did_ understand. She  _knew_ his pain and his guilt, for it was her own.

'It was nobodies fault.' Luke said firmly. Clementine kept her gaze on Nick's tormented blue eyes, sharing his heavy burden. 'We thought we could control it, but... we couldn't. And then she turned, and... his mom was standing right there and she got attacked.' Nick closed his eyes, and Clementine knew he was reliving the moment, that fatal and brutal moment, for what could be any countless number of times. He opened his eyes, fresh pain in them from having seen it all over again in his mind, as Luke continued. 'There was nothing we could do about it.'

'Anyway...' Nick said, meeting her eyes again. 'Hopefully you understand.' He slowly pushed to his feet, and Clementine wished she had the right words to say to make him realize that she truly did. She searched her mind, hoping to find some way to convey the sincerity of her understanding to him.

'Bad things have happened to everyone...' She said slowly, raising her eyes to his and finding them shocked at her response. 'We all have our burdens to carry.' Understanding lit his eyes for a moment, before he averted his gaze. She thought she saw the softest of smiles turn up the corners of his mouth, before he turned and walked away, not stopping to say anything further. Clementine watched him leave, and she hoped that perhaps his conscience was eased by the thought of someone understanding his guilt, rather than brushing it aside. As much as Luke wanted to help, Nick needed to hear that other people had made the same mistakes, and he wasn't the only one to have lost someone to a bad decision. She glanced at Luke, and noted that he was watching her carefully. She awkwardly picked up her spoon and dipped it back into the bowl, scooping a small amount to stir around the edge of the bowl and make a pattern.

'So...' Luke paused, seeming unsure how to continue. The thread of their previous conversation had been lost to Nick's arrival, and it seemed awkward to go back to the topic as if he had not interrupted them. 'Since you're pretty much on your own... what's your plan?' He asked hesitantly. He watched her closely, as if concerned about her reply. She thought about how to answer, eating small bites of rice to buy herself some time. She slowly lowered her spoon to the table, and swallowed a last mouthful, before glancing up to meet his concerned gaze.

'I-' She began, uncertain how to say it. She grimaced and decided to get it over with, like ripping off a band aid. Why she felt so awful for her decision she didn't know. She wanted to stay near Luke's reassuring presence, to feel safe as she did around him all the time. At the same time, she was terrified of the security she may come to feel, the potential lax to her concentration should she stay somewhere she felt she could depend upon those around her. 'I think I should be moving on...' She muttered quietly, barely able to force the words past her lips. Luke's face crumpled with hurt and confusion, but he quickly forced it away, although the distress was still plain to see in his eyes.

'Well,' he said, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to hide his discomfort, 'don't go making any decisions yet... You're uh... you're welcome to stay here - if you want!' He added hastily, staring hopefully at her. 'Y'can let yourself heal up...' He said hopefully, 'and... and take some time... to sort things out...' He babbled. Clementine wanted to smile at his blustering, wanted to find it amusing, but all she felt was confused. She did not know these people and most of them would have been happy to leave her in the shed even after she had been attacked by that walker, yet, she felt a kind of connection she hadn't felt since she had been travelling with Lee, and such a bond was hard to ignore.

'Do you think...' Clementine began, toying with her spoon distractedly and firmly avoiding Luke's questioning eyes. 'Will everyone else be okay with it..?' She wasn't asking because she was actually considering his offer, of course not! She just, didn't want him to be in trouble with his group for making her an offer without their permission. Or so she repeatedly told herself.

'They'll just have to deal with it.' Luke said teasingly, smiling warmly at her. She refused to admit, even to herself, that his attempts to lighten her mood and offer her comfort made her feel stupidly giddy. She couldn't keep her lips from curling upwards, though she fought hard to. She met his eyes for a short time, before he began radiating an air of smugness for his ability to break through her walls and make her smile. She ducked her head and did her best to at least hide her smile from him for a time. She resumed eating, and stubbornly refused to meet his eyes until she was back in control of herself. Time seemed to stand still, as she ate warm food in comfort, in safety. He didn't interrupt her as she ate, allowing her only the quiet comfort of another persons presence which she had so long been denied. She glanced up, and noticed him worrying his lip, clearly debating whether he was allowed to ask her anything further. She rolled her eyes and lowered her spoon, linked her fingers beneath her chin, and stared at him until he finally cracked a smile at her. He shook it off quickly, and she knew from his face that it would be a serious discussion.

'So... what happened to your parents..?' He asked. She blinked at him, caught off guard. 'If you don't mind me asking...' He added, seeing her discomfort. She shook her head in reply, for it wasn't that she minded, it was just that she hadn't thought of her  _parents,_ for some time now and it was both unsettling and foreign to her to do so now. She tried to get a grip of her emotions and understand what she was feeling so confused by. 'I mean, I assume what happened to them is what happened to just about everyone's parents...' He said, seeming to stare into the distance. Clementine felt her heart twist at the pain in his faraway gaze, understanding that his own parents were included in his statement. His eyes cleared of the fog of his past, as he turned them back to Clementine. 'You're just so young... and what you said outside...' Clementine winced at the reminder of her outburst, and fought to repress a blush of embarrassment, both at herself for having allowed herself to crack so completely, and at Luke for having remembered it all. 'I didn't think you could've made it on your own for so long, but maybe you did... I mean, you probably got more balls than everyone here put together.' He said, making her give a sharp bark of laughter at the sudden admission. He smiled at her reaction. 'You're a tough little cookie, Clementine.' He said warmly. Clementine narrowed her eyes at him playfully, before turning her attention on how best to answer. The obvious condition of her parents, or a smaller admission that she wasn't alone the whole time? She eyed him carefully, weighing her choices. He waited patiently, seeming to understand her hesitance as he watched her.

'Other people took care of me, if that's what you're asking...?' She said uncertainly. Luke shook his head and shifted in his seat awkwardly.

'I was just curious on how you made it this far, for so long...' He clarified. She smiled at his hesitance, as if he was unsure of whether he should have just kept his mouth shut. She thought about letting him suffer a short while longer, but eventually decided to put him out of his misery.

'I just tried to stay with good people and...' She hesitated, feeling the smile slip from her face, 'try not to do anything dumb.' She paused, looking away as she tried to keep control of her emotions. When she was sure she wasn't going to start crying like a little girl, she looked back at him with a wry grin to alleviate his patiently contained concern for her. 'You can probably tell that I wasn't so good at the second part, so much as the first...' She said, her voice catching as she finished speaking. The sheer amount of people who had given their lives for her, she was baffled by it even now, and she knew the guilt would never really pass.

'Hey, I'm sorry, I... I shouldn't have asked...' Luke said, averting his eyes as he shook his head, obviously chastising himself for pushing her. Clementine felt the need to stop him from feeling bad, for feeling guilty over  _her_ guilt. She ducked her head and caught his eyes, forcing him to look back at her.

'It's okay.' She said, smiling at him softly. 'I made some bad decisions, and I got a lot of people... I got all of my friends... Everyone is...' She paused, fighting off the sting of tears. She sniffed and looked up briefly before meeting his eyes again and forcing herself to keep smiling. 'I made mistakes.' She finished suddenly.

'Clementine, I don't think they would blame you...' He said gently, trying to alleviate the heavy burden she bore. She grinned at his efforts, but shook her head, rebuffing his claim before he could finish. They both looked away, and Clementine thought about her life since the outbreak. Suddenly, she  _wanted_ to tell someone her story. To tell Luke everything.

'My parents went on vacation, and they left me with the babysitter, Sandra.' She began, looking over the table at him. Luke met her eyes, and leaned forward on the table, clearly interested in hearing about her journey. She smiled sadly, and shrugged her shoulders. 'They never came back. One night, I heard my babysitter scream, and I got scared... I was eight, so I scared pretty easy!' She said lightly, as she recalled memories she had long repressed. It felt good to finally say it all out loud. 'I ran outside, and hid in my tree-house. I stayed there for three days...' Luke raised his brows, clearly surprised to hear this, but he held his tongue. 'Lee found me there. I heard him, in our house. He had been...' Clementine paused, frowning as she thought what to say. She wondered if Lee would mind her telling the truth, after all, sharing Lee's past and his actions, had been what got him killed, along with her running out to meet the man waiting outside the fence of the house they were hiding out in while they were in Savannah. She met Luke's eyes, and remembered how Lee had slowly gone around the Travelier Motor Inn, telling everyone about his criminal past, and she decided she would follow his example. 'Lee was on his way to prison, when it all happened.'

'Say what?!' Luke said, his eyes wide. Clementine threw him a withering look, and raised a brow. Luke grinned guiltily and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, before making a locking gesture at his lips and leaning forward to continue listening. She nodded her approval, and allowed his eye roll to pass without comment.

'Lee was a History Professor, at the University of Georgia.' Luke's brows rose, but he wisely said nothing, smiling for her to continue. 'He felt unwell, and went home from work early one day, to find his wife... making it... with another man.'

'Making it?' Luke laughed, unable to help himself. Upon seeing her displeased frown, he attempted to control himself, waving her on with her story. 'Sorry...' He muttered, trying to hide the laughter in his voice. She narrowed her eyes at him, but couldn't be angry when she saw the amusement in his eyes.

'Yeah, so... it turned out that guy was a state senator.' Clementine continued, ignoring Luke's occasional titters of amusement. 'But Lee loved his wife, and... although he sorta already knew about the affair, he was so mad to actually _see_ them right there, in his own home... he killed him. He regretted it right away, I'd have known that even if he hadn't told me... But, that's why he was on his way to prison. During the drive, the policeman taking him in hit a walker, and crashed the car down the embankment. I heard it, but I was too scared to go look because it drew all those scary things out...' She noticed him hastily cover his mouth with his hand, and pretended she didn't know he was laughing at her description of walkers as "scary things," which to an eight year old, they were. 'I heard him calling, when he woke up from the accident. He hurt his leg in the crash, and was calling for help. I went to look, but I got scared when I saw him yelling with walkers around. I was in the tree-house and saw him come over our fence. He walked right underneath me, and never knew it... never knew I was holding a hammer, and almost dropped it on his head...' She paused, tears in her eyes which she did nothing to hide. The pain of losing Lee was constant, but to speak of his past to someone, of their meeting, it was something she hadn't done and it made the pain acutely sharper than usual.

'He was looking in our house for help, and he saw the messages on our machine. I think he just wanted to know what was going on, our house was pretty trashed... I heard the message through the walkie talkie my dad had given me - he kept his hidden in the kitchen, thinking my mom wouldn't know he'd talk to me after I had gone to bed sometimes. We had whispered adventures, like an action bedtime story.' She said, feeling distinctly distant from the memory of her parents. She frowned, comparing her feelings for her parents to her feelings about Lee, and was unsettled by the way that Lee's life, and death, affected her more than her parents. She shook her head and tried to pick up where she had left off.

'I, uh... I called through the radio, and that was it. He was so worried about me, even though he was hurt himself. He was amazed I had been alone and survived. He didn't know it had been going on so long, but then I guess he wouldn't have... he'd been in the middle of Atlanta prison...' She mused, realizing she had never thought of this before. 'Sandra, my babysitter - or what was left of her, she attacked him, and I ran to give him my hammer. I was terrified, seeing one of  _them_ so close... But, he killed her, and then he told me he would take me with him and keep me safe. A total stranger, "just some guy" he would tell people when they asked if he was my dad... and so many people just called him my dad anyway, even after he said he wasn't! Most people would have left me behind... We met up with some other people after that, and we were a pretty tight group, well, most of us...' Clementine decided not to mention names, if she listed everyone then she would never finish her tale, and this tale was about Lee. The others could always be spoken of another day,  _if_  she stayed that was.

'We went to Macon, where we found some other survivors who were camping in the drugstore that Lee's family owned... He heard later that they had dragged the bodies of two elderly people out of the office... his parents. His brother was outside, and he had to kill him... though I didn't know it til I found him crying one day, much later. B, he called him, or Bud. I think one of them was a nickname but, I could never decide which... When we escaped the drugstore we stayed at this little Motor Inn for awhile, a long while, actually. We fortified it, protected it, but in the end, it wasn't enough. There was a family owned a dairy who...' She hesitated, her throat constricting at the memory of Lee's barely in time cry of her name. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before opening them as she exhaled.

'They offered to help us... let us onto their farm, play on their swing, pet their cow... but, one of our group was injured, and they said they would help him get better. We didn't see him later, but they made us a huge meal... Lee jumped down the stairs in their house and screamed my name, and I dropped my fork... He told us... He'd found... He...'

'It's okay, hey,' Luke reached out, taking her hand in both of his and rubbing it gently. 'If you don't wanna-'

'I do!' She cried, tears of pain, of exasperation, of shame falling from her eyes. She met his gaze a moment, before dropping her eyes to where he still held her hand. She drew strength from his offered support, and she forced herself to finish. 'He had found our friend upstairs, hidden in a secret room... They had cut off his legs, and they were feeding them to us...' Luke's jaw dropped, and his hands tightened around her own, his distress obvious. 'Everyone else had started eating...' She whispered. Luke visibly forced his mouth to close and swallowed heavily, shaking his head in disbelief as his wide eyes remained locked on her. 'Lee saved me from it, only for one of them to grab me and force him to do what they said. He was going to kill them for threatening me, I could tell, but they knocked him out. I had to climb out of the air duct connected to the meat locker they stored us in, and let him and our other friends out. Not all of us made it...'

'Shit...' Luke breathed, though he seemed to sense that now she had begun, Clementine needed to finish, to give voice to all she had had to keep to herself for so long. He continued to hold her hand, offering her his support as long as she wanted it.

'Even those people...' Clementine said softly, raising her tearful eyes to his. 'Even them, he wouldn't kill. They tried to make him, they wanted him to be like them, to do what they did. But he wouldn't. Lee freed us all, and he refused to kill anyone in the process. On the way back to our Motor Inn, we found a car that had been abandoned. The others all wanted to take it, 'cause it was all full of stuff. I said we shouldn't. I didn't understand how things worked then!' She gushed desperately, trying to explain her younger self. Luke shushed her, and rubbed her hands, understanding in his eyes. The gratitude she felt toward him magnified, as he gave her the outlet she had needed for so long, and supported her while she vented the poison she had carried in her soul so long.

'Lee... even though he knew, he stood beside me, held my hand, and refused to take anything. I know he wanted to, he wanted to take a jumper that would have fit me, but he followed my wish and said no...' She said, choking out the words between her tears. 'He was a good man, and he didn't deserve what I did to him!' She cried. Luke tried his best to comfort her, but she rebuffed his efforts, and secluded herself in her pain. 'We were raided shortly after that, some men in masks started shooting us, drew the dead.' She rushed, speaking fast to try and force the words out. 'He saved us all, but someone got bit. He was only a little older than me... Lee, he took care of him. Made sure he wouldn't come back. We lost two other people as we traveled, by the time we found the train. He fixed it up, and we used it to get to Savannah. On the train... Lee taught me how to survive. He's, the reason I keep my hair short...' She hiccuped, smiling at the memory of her slumped shoulders when he first cut her hair. She couldn't believe now that she had survived so long with it as messy and wild as it had been before. Luke seemed pleased that she was over the worst of her crying, and squeezed her hand for her to continue. 'He taught me how to shoot, how to make a plan... And he said we would look for my parents in Savannah, that if the others didn't wanna come with us, we would go without them. They all wanted to find a boat, and Lee did too, he wanted to get me somewhere safe, but he knew what I needed to do. He knew they were dead the whole time, but he knew that until I found them, I would never be able to give up hope of them finding me. He knew I would make mistakes, that it would get me killed...' She said, wiping a stray tear as it rolled silently down her cheek.

'A lot of stuff happened, and suddenly we needed to go. I know now that he didn't want to, that he wanted to tell me the truth too, but he couldn't. He didn't want to hurt me...' She said quietly, trying hard to keep control long enough to finish her story. 'We had to leave the next morning, and when he told me, I just... cried. I felt like he betrayed me... I was so stupid.' She muttered angrily, almost to herself. She caught Luke frown, but he said nothing to interrupt her. 'There was a man, he had been talking to me on my walkie talkie... he said he had my parents, and I crept out of the house while Lee slept. When I got outside, the man grabbed me. He dropped my hat on the ground in the back yard, then he left my walkie talkie by some trash, and I didn't understand why at the time... but there was a walker hidden in the trash, and when Lee was searching for me..' She trailed off, overcome with the thought of how it might have happened, how scared Lee must have been and how worried about her he must have been.

'He saw your walkie talkie, and when he picked it up, he got bit?' Luke offered, gently prompting her on with her story. She gripped his hands with her own gratefully and nodded sharply.

'Yeah...' She said softly, sniffing and wiping her eyes with rough sweeps of her hand.

'What... what happened to him..?' Luke asked carefully, obviously worried about upsetting her again, but also wanting to know whether she had been forced to defend herself from her hero.

'He found me. He sawed off his arm, to try and stop the infection, or whatever it is, spreading from the bite... It didn't work.' She said quietly, staring at his jumper. Luke nodded in sudden understanding, clearly reminded of her outburst outside the cabin. 'The man who took me, he had locked me away, tied a shotgun aimed at the door to the room I was in... I cut the thread, and I tried to help! I smashed a bottle over his head, and Lee fought with him. I thought Lee might win, but the man fought dirty. He started winning, and I thought he was gonna kill Lee so I... I...' She swallowed, her heart pounding loudly in her own ears. 'I killed him. I killed a man, a living, breathing, human...' She whispered.

'Hey!' Luke said, commanding her attention. She met his eyes unwillingly, seeing a burning conviction in his eyes. 'Do not think of it like that, okay? You hear me? You did not do anything wrong Clementine, you defended your friend and saved his life!' He said, willing her to agree with him. She shook her head sadly.

'No, I killed him.' She said, taking a shuddering breath as she looked away. 'Maybe not with a bullet, but, its my fault he died. It's my fault they all died. Everyone I was with, they all died to protect me... Lee saved me, so many times, and in so many ways... and I killed him. When we got outside, my parents were in the crowd. He had brought me all the way to Savannah to find them, already knowing they were dead. All for my peace of mind...' She whispered, willing herself not to cry until she had finished completely. She took a deep breath and forced herself to continue.

'Lee, he was weak. He fell and I, I dragged him into some, warehouse or something, I don't... I shut the door, and when he woke up he was mad as hell about it...' She chuckled at the memory, though it was far from amusing. 'That was when he told me what had happened. I knew what he wasn't saying. He got bit, because I ran away. It was my fault. But he wouldn't say it... He wouldn't. I knew it right away, but he never once said it to me. He tried to get me out, but he just... he was so weak by then, and so pale... he was like the ashes in a burnt out fireplace... He fell and, he couldn't get up again. He walked me through how to escape, and how to kill the walker that was in the other room... It almost got me, but then, like when anything ever tried to get me, he saved me. Even as he was  _dying,_ he put me first. He made me chain him to the radiator and, I said I shouldn't let him turn, but... he said he couldn't ever hurt anyone now, and I should save the bullet. He told me it wasn't my fault, that he was so pleased to have met me, that...'

Clementine choked, caught up with the pain of the memory Lee's final thoughts and words evoked in her. She could picture his face, as he was before the bite, so kind and warm. 'He said he wished he had a daughter like me... I was more upset when I found out Lee was leaving me, then seeing my own parents walking around as the dead... Lee... I turned around before I escaped... he was watching me, but then he just... slumped against the radiator and he didn't...' Clementine broke, the tears flowing freely as she remembered her last view of Lee as he crumpled. Her hot tears burnt her eyes and cheeks, soaking her top, until suddenly they weren't. Luke had moved quickly around the table, turning her in her chair and wrapping his arms around her. She cried into his jumper, soaking it with her tears, though he didn't seem to care. He rubbed her back and muttered reassuring words to her, though she couldn't hear them over her crying. She appreciated his efforts, but the wound was fully open now, and all she could do was empty the last of the poison it held, buried at the bottom of her heart.

'Shh... it's okay, you're okay, I got ya... shh...' Luke kept his arms firmly locked around her, never once complaining as she wept all over him. He consoled her, and held her, and she would have laughed had she not been so distraught, at the thought that Lee would have probably done just the same thing. When eventually her supply of tears was exhausted she sniffed loudly. 'Hey, I know I'm comforting ya and all, but I draw the line at noses bein' wiped on me - this is my favorite jumper I'll have you know!' Clementine laughed, and felt an immense weight lift from her shoulders as Luke drew away to grin down at her. He wiped her cheeks with the back of his hand and stared at her for a moment. 'You know, I think you're probably the toughest little cookie that ever was.' He said seriously, before breaking into a grin. She rolled her eyes and jabbed him in the arm. He rubbed the offended area and faked a scowl at her, which did not last long as she laughed at him again.

'Clem, this Lee sounds like a real good guy, and I really wish I could've met him...' Luke said, and Clementine felt her heart tighten in her chest. 'I don't think he ever blamed you, and I don't think he would want you to blame yourself, either... I'm so sorry, that you had to go through, so much... and for our part in that too... but Clementine, I am glad to have met you, and I'm glad you told me.' Clementine watched him for a moment, seeing only open sincerity.

'I'm glad too.' She said quietly, hanging her head.

'That you met me?' Luke asked hopefully, and she jabbed him in the arm again. 'Ow, you know, you keep that up and I'm gonna start tellin' people how you're a bully. You know you really got a mean jab on you!' He complained, though his smile rather spoiled the attempt at outraged.

'You're such a geek.' She said fondly.

'Well just for that I ain't gonna give you my bed tonight or run you a bath.' Luke said, pushing himself to his feet with a groan.

'That's alright old man, I wouldn't want you making your joints ache any worse then they already do.' She quipped, laughing as Luke's jaw dropped.

'You know I can always take back what I said about bein' glad to meet you,' he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

'No you can't, you're just getting senile in your old age...' She cocked her head at him as he laughed at her cheeky reply. 'How old  _are_ you anyway?' She asked.

'I'm only twenty six, and don't you know its rude to ask a persons age?' He said.

'Wow...' She said, drawing it out with an impressed whistle. 'I didn't realize you were so ancient...' She said with fake awe and wide eyes. She laughed as he swatted her gently round the head, scuffing her hat. 'And that's only when you ask a  _ladies_ age, genius.' Luke rolled his eyes and turned away, blowing out the candles as he did a slow circuit of the room. He left one alight, and picked it up by its stand.

'Well, come on then trouble, lets get you that bath.' He said with a sigh, as if it pained him greatly. She mockingly saluted him and hopped to her feet.

'I thought the offer was revoked...' She said, trying to sound disinterested in the idea. Luke just rolled his eyes and gestured for her to follow him through the cabin. He led her up to the bathroom where she had found the needle she had stitched herself up with. A steaming bath was run for her, and she realized that he had asked someone to fill it for her while she was crying. She wasn't sure who else had seen her in such a state, but she hoped it wasn't Rebecca or Sarah, girls made issues out of crying, guys just pretended they never saw you.

'Thanks,' she said, looking up at him. 'I mean, not just for...' She added, gesturing to the bath. She eyed it eagerly, but was distracted by a loud cry down the hall.

'What the _fuck_?!' Came Nick's distressed shout. Clementine bit her lip to keep from laughing, and Luke raised a brow, guessing that she obviously knew more than he did about the cause of Nick's sudden outburst. Clementine just laughed and shrugged one shoulder upwards, before she thanked him again. He walked out of the bathroom, promising to show her where she would be sleeping when she was ready. She shut the door, and leaned against it a moment, enjoying the solid wood at her back, stabilizing her. She slowly walked to the sink, raising her eyes to meet the amber orbs of her reflection. She was tear stained, puffy eyed and swollen nosed, but she looked better than she had in a long time. The guilt remained, for no matter what Luke said, she knew her own crimes. But something had shifted. Where there had once been nothing  _but_ guilt, she also saw hope. It was small, and fragile, but it was there, and she had Luke to thank for that as well. As she thought about her past, and her future, she was overwhelmed with the certainty that Lee would approve of her trust and belief in Luke. She hummed to herself, and found that for the first time in longer than she could remember, she looked forward to the morning.


	6. A Brief Interval From Reality

Waking up in a warm and soft bed, wasn't something she was sure if she would ever get used to again. So far it had been six weeks, and she still wasn't used to it. She had thought that the soft pillows, the springy mattress would be heaven like, and it was so far as her body was concerned, but her mind was tormented every time she slept with nightmares from the night she had been separated from Christa. She was no fool, she had known how Christa had come to resent her, rightly blaming her for Omid's death. But still, she was tortured by the memory of trying to distract Christa's attackers, and the terrifying sound of a gunshot, combined with Christa's cry of pain. She woke every morning with a start and fell off the edge of the bed in shock and fear. She hoped nobody ever noticed the bang that announced her awakening each morning, but it was a vain hope, for she knew from their attitudes towards her in the morning that her new companions heard her every time.

The first week or so that she had been here at the cabin were hard to remember. Both physically and emotionally, she had been drained, and she had slept more than she had even known she could. Every time she had woken up, Luke had been there to help her to the bathroom, or to offer her some food, before she would drift off again. She had been embarrassed when she realized she had stolen his room for so long, and she had insisted he put her on the couch instead, but he had merely laughed and flicked her on the forehead fondly. Eventually Clementine had come to realize that even though she had stolen his bed, he was still in his room to sleep, he had moved a chair from downstairs into the far corner, which she hadn't noticed until after she had been able to stay away for more than a few hours a day. The thought that he had watched over her, was a comfort in ways she had thought she would never feel again It spoke of a kindness she had thought died with Lee. Of course it was also embarrassing to realize that he was there to witness her whimpers and disturbed sleep, but though he watched her carefully and asked if she was okay when she woke, he took her word that she was, he had not yet brought it up, and she was grateful for the patience he showed her.

She took a deep breath, as she stretched and got up from the floor, having awoken to a beautiful midsummer day. She glanced around and noted Luke was not to be seen, and she guessed he had already gone to start sorting some breakfast for them. She opened walked to the window and threw it open, breathing deeply of the clean air with a smile. She was keen to get outside, as she hoped to be on garden duty today. The schedule hadn't been fully completed when she finally turned in the night before, and she wondered where they might have put her. Not that she was a permanent member of the cabin's group now, but she felt that while she was here, she should help out. That and she really enjoyed working with the fresh vegetables and fruits they were growing in a little meadow they had cleared out nearby. A small fence kept the walkers out, and so long as you were quiet and didn't cut yourself, you could usually get on with the work un-bothered by the walking dead. She hurried to get dressed, briefly brushing her hair and re-tying it into her pigtails.

The first night after she had shut herself in the bathroom for her bath, Luke had proceeded to knock  _every_  ten minutes, checking she hadn't drowned. She had laughed at first, joking through the door that after the hell she went to get the damn bath she wasn't about to let herself drown in it and come back as a naked walker. After that she had become more irritated by each checkup and had eventually threatened to punch his eyes if he knocked again. She was torn between amusement, irritation and being impressed with his bravery when he knocked again. He was impressed when she finally exited the bathroom, immediately proceeding to try and keep her promise, as she settled to at least poke him in the eye.

The bath itself, had been beautiful. And washing her hair for the first time in what felt like, and could well have been, years, was indescribable. To have finally felt her hair be truly  _clean,_ she had almost started to believe the walker in the forest had killed her, and that Luke and his group were all just figments of some sort of afterlife experience. The only thing that convinced her otherwise, was that if she had an afterlife dream, the people in it wouldn't offer to chop her arms off or be, well, Rebecca. She had soaked in the water until it had turned cold, and even then she had tried to stay longer, keeping herself warm with the mere memory of the steaming hot water she had first sunk into until she had been forced to admit to herself that she had no choice but to get out.

She pulled on her baseball cap, and rested her hand on her chest, closing her eyes briefly.  _Lee, I wish you were here, you'd like this place..._ She thought, taking a deep breath. She felt a small spark of light her heart, but didn't dare to believe in it yet. Too much could happen. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to deny the small hope, that maybe things would be okay, and nothing bad would happen. She opened her eyes and hurried out the bedroom door, her face colliding with a torso in her haste.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa little firecracker,' Luke's amused tone came from somewhere above her, his hands steadying her shoulders, as she stepped back and rubbed at her nose. 'That eager to get some more bugs?' He asked innocently. Clementine threw him an exasperated glare, folding her arms over her chest as he dropped his own hands to his pockets. He had asked her about it once she was fully awake and she had giggled guiltily before finally admitting what she had done to Nick's bed in return for his being an assbutt and almost shooting her. Twice. Though he had seen the funny side and laughed with her, he also continued to bring it up almost daily, as if making sure she wasn't secretly trying to plot hiding some bugs in his own pillow, which she thought was just plain stupid as she had his pillows herself at the moment.

'I am not eager for more bugs, and you know it.' Clementine said, walking out into the hallway as Luke stepped aside to make room for her. 'I was just coming to see where I was going to be today. And eat.' Luke laughed, gesturing to the kitchen area.

'I was just coming to get you, don't worry, there's still some waffles left.' He said knowingly. Clementine had all but entirely flipped out when they first presented her with a freshly made waffle, cooing over its beauty and being afraid to cut into it at first. Until Nick had jokingly threatened to spear it with his own fork and have it, if she didn't want it. At that point she had growled,  _actually_  growled, at him and proceeded to choke as she tried to eat it whole. Both Nick and Luke had laughed and she had been left feeling red cheeked from her embarrassment. They only tended to mention it once a day now and she felt pleased that it was slowly being forgotten. Or so she hoped.

'So, where am I today?' She asked, as they walked the short distance to the kitchen. Luke sighed and raised his hands in a supplicating gesture, and Clementine groaned internally. 'Fishing nets?' She asked wearily, to which he nodded and patted her shoulder sympathetically. It wasn't that she disliked the job, only that, she  _really_ liked the little vegetable patch.

'Sorry Cookie-' He began.

' _Don't_ call me Cookie.' Clementine said firmly.

'I know you just hate to be away from me an' all but, this time its garden for me, and fishies for you...' Luke said, ignoring her interruption as if she hadn't said anything. She frowned at his innocent smile before she turned to the dining table, making sure to stand on his foot as she passed. The fact that he merely laughed both annoyed and amused her. While she had been so in and out of consciousness, she had tried to thank him for his help and through her slurred speech, it had sounded like she was calling him Lukie, to which he had taken great offense, though she suspected it was slightly less great or offence than he made out and was more complete and utter amusement. Since she had been properly conscious, he had taken to calling her Cookie as retribution, stating it was cute to have their names match, and so it was more a battle of wills now to see which one of them could offend the other the most or make the other relent first. She helped herself to a plate and grabbed three waffles from a stack on a large platter. She grabbed the syrup, and applied a generous helping, before sitting at a far seat and digging in.

'Sorry bout the garden,' Luke said, as he patted her on the top of her cap, heading towards the front door. 'I'll try and catch a worm for you!' He called, dodging the fork she threw in his direction with a laugh. Her aim was true, and the fork stuck fast into the door frame. She was both annoyed and pleased that her impeccable aim just made him laugh all the more. She scowled at his retreating form before turning back to her breakfast, hiding her small smile until she was sure he wasn't looking. She grabbed another fork from the pile of cutlery, and continued to eat her breakfast with an appetite she had thought long lost.

'Hey Clementine,' She looked up as Pete hollered at her, hastily wiping her mouth in the hope that she wasn't drooling or dripping syrup. He smiled at her as he walked in the room, and she grinned back. Although still not entirely forgiven for wanting to take her arm off, she had at least mostly forgiven him, which mostly meant she didn't know where he slept and couldn't put a bug on his pillow, but, she was nothing if not patient. 'I know you were hopin' to work in the garden again, but I got Nick coming with me to check the fishin' nets today and I could really use you're keen eyes to spot whatever he misses!' He whispered to her conspiratorially. She chuckled, and ducked her head slightly as Nick walked into the room. 'But hey, least it means a couple of fresh brookies tonight, be better'n more of whatever that shit was supposed to be last night...'

'Sure as hell sounds good to me,' Nick said, grinning at Clementine. Clementine felt slightly guilty, knowing Nick was unaware that the cause of his bug problem the night of her arrival was her revenge for his almost shooting her. She had assumed Luke would tell him, but the other man had apparently kept her secret, which left her in the predicament of never knowing whether Nick would blow his top over it, or see the funny side. She tended to believe the former most likely. She shook of her discomfort and returned his easy grin, enjoying his friendly attitude while it lasted.

'So, when are we leaving?' Clementine asked, hoping she would be able to take her time and savor her breakfast before they left. From Pete's guilty glance away, she assumed that wouldn't be the case. She sighed and turned back to her plate, hurrying to stuff them down.

'Easy Clementine,' Pete said lightly, 'I'll wait outside.' He added, walking past her towards the front door.

'Right behind you Uncle Pete,' Nick said, turning towards the stairs. 'I gotta hit the head first. Meet you outside.' Clementine frowned. It wasn't as if she didn't understand the meaning, she just never understood why Nick persisted in saying it in such a way. Perhaps it was something she would understand better when she was older. She didn't see Nick leave, focusing on eating her breakfast quickly.

'I wouldn't get too comfortable, if I were you.' The spiteful tone had Clementine dropping her fork with a loud clatter. She looked over her shoulder to see Rebecca leaning against the wall in the hallway, watching her with narrowed eyes.

'I've been working hard... I just-'

'You got what you wanted.' Rebecca said, gesturing to her arm as she walked over to the table. 'Now leave.' Clementine sighed. It didn't matter how many times she saw Rebecca, the woman insisted on giving her the same get out of town speech that Clementine would have expected from one of the old black and white movies her dad used to watch. She frowned, trying to remember one of those very movies, and was mildly distressed when she realized that she couldn't picture them anymore.

'Whatever you say, Rebecca.' Clementine said distractedly, glancing sadly at the woman. It didn't seem to matter what Clementine did or said, the woman just didn't want to even try to give her a chance to prove herself. She wondered if maybe the woman wasn't right, maybe she should just disappear. She would miss people yes, and she could admit to herself that she felt hurt just at the thought of leaving Luke's kindness without even a goodbye, but it would be the only way she ever  _could_ leave.

'I know you got everyone else fooled; Luke, Pete - even Nick and... my husband.' Rebecca seemed to deflate a moment, before glaring hard at Clementine and sucking in a deep breath to continue. 'But I  _see_ you. You ain't just some little girl, lost and needin' protection. You're a killer.' Clementine felt herself grow cold and pale, and she almost wished to go back to the nightmare of Christa's uncertain fate, than have to listen to Rebecca force her to face what she already knew was her true nature. She glanced up at Rebecca with wet eyes, and Rebecca hastened to finish. 'Maybe not intentionally. But you're the kind of person people die around, I can see it.' Rebecca eyed her for a long moment, and Clementine forced herself to meet the woman's gaze, despite wanting to run from the room. Rebecca's lips curled into a cruel grin, able to read the exact fear in Clementine's eyes. 'You stay here any longer; you're gonna get  _everyone..._  killed.' Clementine swallowed a large lump in her throat, pushing her plate away and slowly getting down from the table. She walked toward the door with her head down, pausing only with her hand on the handle.

'You should really tell him.' She said quietly. She turned to see Rebecca watching her, horror and fear making her eyes dull, and her skin turn pale. 'He's your husband, he won't hate you. He loves you, and you should have more faith in him.' Clementine looked at the floor a moment, thinking about the secret she had figured out shortly after arriving. Rebecca was someone Clementine had known she needed to watch whenever she was around. She was someone who wanted her gone, and quite possibly wouldn't hesitate to make her disappear herself. Clementine had been careful to keep her in sight whenever she was around, and after about a week of quiet observation, she had finally put it all together. Rebecca ate slowly, savoring her food and often picking at her husbands plate to make her own last. She never drank wine with her dinner, like the others, and if anyone questioned it she would immediately snap at them about someone needing to stay sharp around "that girl." Clementine had noticed her mood swings, and her morning nausea, which she tried to hide by heading out for an early morning "perimeter check." Following her once, Clementine had seen her final piece of evidence, as Rebecca lost her stomach just out of the clearing. She looked back at the woman with a small weary smile. 'You aren't exactly going to be able to hide it much longer... and besides; he already knows anyway. He's just waiting because he _wants_  you to tell him.' She tried to turn her smile into a more convincing, comforting smile, but she couldn't manage to find the will to do it, instead she just let it slip away. She turned to the door and turned the handle. 'Alvin loves you Rebecca, you should trust him to love you even if it does turn out the baby isn't his. He would love it anyway, you know...'

Without waiting to hear from the older woman, Clementine stepped out into the sunshine, and felt its warmth against her skin. Try though she might to absorb that warmth, she felt only cold, from the inside out. She closed her eyes, willing herself to be strong, to tell herself that Rebecca's cruel words were wrong, but her heart would not tell a lie, even to herself. She opened her eyes, and saw Pete waving to her. She threw him a half hearted, lopsided grin and began to rub at her stitches with her good arm. Sometimes, they just seemed to ache, like an ominous warning. She took a deep breath, and tried her best to seem as happy as she had been so short a time ago. As she started walking towards him, her thoughts were chaotic and fearful. Now that Rebecca had given voice to the curse Clementine brought to other peoples lives, she felt as if a dark cloud were hovering over her, waiting to strike at any moment, should she allow herself to grow to close to anyone. She cursed herself for a fool, thinking she could ever escape her past crimes. She needed to leave, before these people were hurt by her presence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, I know - I'm awesome, sharing all these chapters so quickly and all ;)  
> See, I was gonna space them out more - weekly or even monthly updates, but then I got impatient because I have it all just sitting here and it sorta seems like I'm hoarding it or something? So yeah, I'm just gonna post as and when I feel like it, or sooner if you ask me :)
> 
> Con Crit always welcome, I always appreciate helpful feedback :)
> 
> x My love to you all x


	7. What Happened?

Clementine was afraid. With Rebecca's cruel but frightfully accurate words ringing in her ears, she felt like a weight of solid stone had settled in her heart. She grasped her healing arm with her good arm, as if afraid it might fly away, trying to keep herself calm and avoid Pete's unnecessary worry. She felt the ominous sense of foreboding she had thought almost forgotten, and she was irritated by the fact that she had let herself grow close to these people, for it had made her complacent. She had let herself forget that the world was not what it used to be, it was not safe to trust everyone and care for them, because in the end, they would die and she would be left alone, again.

Her heart clenched at the thought. She had been so foolish, to let herself get so attached to these people. She could barely stand to look at Pete's friendly smile as he waited for her to finally catch up. She dragged her heals, hesitant about whether she shouldn't just disappear into the woods now and be done with it. But the older man's kind eyes and smiling face were not the worst she could face. She could still run now, and though she would feel guilty, she would be able to do it. If it were Luke stood here, waiting for her with his warmth and open friendliness, she could not bear to leave. Too soon the option was taken from her, as she caught up to Pete, barely glancing at his eyes before averting her gaze to the ground.

She knew from the silence that Pete had noticed her sudden shift in mood, but to both her relief and chagrin, he said nothing. She followed him like a silent shadow, as he turned and began walking toward the small path which would lead them to the river. Several long moments passed in the not quite companionable quiet, and Clementine caught herself more than once glancing at Pete and hoping he would ask her what was wrong. Each time she would frown and shake her head, annoyed with herself for depending on others to solve her problems for her once more.

'So,' Pete said suddenly, drawing her from her internal struggles. She met his eyes as he half turned towards her, hoping her eyes were not as troubled as her heart. 'How you holdin' up? I uh, I heard you got an earful from Rebecca the other night... Once she gets goin' there's no bringing her back...' Clementine almost missed a step, caught unawares by the unexpected topic. Either Pete had superhuman abilities and knew what was bothering her, or she had forgotten about something that would seem pretty big to everyone else. She cast her mind back and thought about her recent interactions with the angry woman. She realized he must be referring to the night that Rebecca had decided to try and humiliate her, three days ago. For whatever reason, the woman had seen fit to try and make Clementine as distraught as she had been the first night she had arrived. Much to Clementine's surprise, she had discovered that Rebecca didn't  _know_ what had bothered her so much that night, and she had come to the realization that Luke had not shared her story with the others in his group. Rebecca seemed to throw every insult, every awful comment she could think of, but at the end of it, Clementine had just smiled, yawned, and then said she was going to bed. Luke had laughed. Clementine frowned, it seemed that Rebecca had thought on the subject since, and found a target much closer to home than she had hit on her previous attempts.

'She's all talk...' She said distractedly, realizing she had been quiet for far too long. 'She doesn't scare me.' She added hesitantly, which was mostly true. Rebecca didn't scare Clementine, she had seen far worse in her short life, but what Rebecca had said to her as she left this morning, would haunt her til the day her luck finally failed her and she died.

'She was in a mood that night, that's for sure...' Pete admitted, shaking his head as he faced forward again, allowing Clementine the chance to release the large gulp of air she hadn't realized she had been holding. Clementine hesitated as Pete continued, she glanced downwards despite the amount of times this route had been traveled. She couldn't get passed the feeling that the door laying over the small trench in the ground would somehow give way and she would fall. Childish, considering she didn't even mind heights, but for some reason this part of the journey always made her pause. She released her tight grip on her arm and hurried across, catching up to Pete easily on the other side of the door.

'How many fish traps are set up this time?' She asked, glancing up at him. He smiled down at her and Clementine had to force herself to keep his gaze, for fear that he would otherwise guess her tormented ideas of fleeing as soon as they reached the river.

'Enough to have caught us enough fresh fish for the whole group tonight.' He said, chuckling as Clementine frowned at the non answer. She let her eyes fall to the rifle he carried. Since she had arrived they had not given her a weapon. Clementine thought this highly unfair, especially given her demonstrated capabilities during the time she spent locked in their shed. She knew Luke had argued that she should be armed, in case she needed to defend herself, but with both Carlos and Rebecca still considering her a danger to their group, and Alvin sitting on the sidelines so as not to anger his wife, it was an endless circle of arguing, and Clementine was tired of hearing it. She figured that if they were attacked and they wanted her help then they would just gave to be eaten and deal with the knowledge that it was their own darn fault she wasn't able to save them. She had missed her gun. Lost in her backpack, what felt like an entire lifetime ago now, when she and Christa had been attacked. She missed the calm as she took a breath, just like Lee had taught her. That breath, that second of clarity, was like another little world. Just for a moment, everything made sense.

'Anyone teach you how to shoot?' Pete asked, jerking Clementine from her thoughts. She peeked up at him from under her hat, and realized that he had been watching her for awhile. 'By that I mean taught  _proper._  She blushed and looked away, finding the path before her suddenly fascinating. She scowled when she heard Pete's amused chuckle. 'Any idiot with a finger can shoot.' She almost giggled at the not so subtle dig at his nephew, Nick. It was probably just as well Nick hadn't caught them up yet.

'My friend Lee taught me.' Clementine said quietly. She looked up and met his gaze calmly. 'But only a pistol, not a rifle.' She added, eyeing the gun longingly.

'Well, that's good - and it makes sense really. Less kick,' Pete said, as he squeezed through the small partition in the fence. He turned and smiled at Clementine as she easily passed through, dropping her a wink as he hefted his weapon in both hands. 'This thing would probably knock you on your ass.' He said, and Clementine couldn't stop her small laugh. She felt a small part of the heavy stone in her heart chip away with the mans warmth, and she wished that she had the strength and willpower to smash the rest of it apart as well.

'Nick was about your age, when I first took him huntin'.' Pete said quietly, leading her on down the path. Clementine looked up at him curiously. Pete hadn't really brought up the past, perhaps sensing Clementine's hesitance at revealing her own and not wanting to pressurize her with tales of their own. She found herself far more interested in his story about Nick's childhood than she really felt she ought to be when considering running away into the wilderness. 'Came across this beautiful thirteen point buck, just standin' there on the ridge-line.' He said, coming to a stop as he looked up at the sky. He squinted up at the clouds, as if trying hard to recall something he had almost but not quite forgotten about. Clementine suddenly felt guilty for being so interested in the story that the man had to actually put thought into remembering the tale.

'The boy lines up the rifle,' Pete said, raising his own as if re-enacting the old story. Clementine watched in fascination as Pete looked down the barrel of the gun, taking aim at the memory of the long passed buck. 'Lines up the shot, just like I taught him... then I hear him start whinin'.' He sighed, turning to Clementine as he lowered the powerful weapon. 'He turns to me and he says; "I can't shoot it, uncle Pete - please don't make me shoot it!"' He shook his head at the memory of his young nephew, a wry grin on his lips.

'Aw, that's sad...' Clementine said, imagining a younger and kinder Nick than the adult he had become. Although it was true he had apologized for his treatment of her when she first turned up, and she more than understood his reasoning, for she had had her own similar experience and couldn't bear a grudge against him without being a huge hypocrite. She pictured a small snot nosed boy, tears in his eyes as he plead for the buck's life like it were his own, and couldn't help but smile at the image. Being honest with herself, she even found Nick amusing to be around, he was funny when he wasn't being an ass, and even when he was he was usually still pretty funny. Pete smiled at her, but they both turned at an annoyed sounding voice.

'Hey!' Nick called, frowning more at Pete than Clementine. 'Why didn't you wait?' He asked. Clementine could almost imagine him as a child, stamping his foot because nobody waited to hold his hand on the walk down to the river. She hid a smile behind her hand as if it were a yawn, though from Nick's narrowed eyes, she guessed she wasn't particularly successful.

'You want us standin' around while you piss on a tree?' Pete asked, sounding torn between amused and annoyed. Clementine rolled her eyes, wondering why the two were ever paired together when all they ever did was argue the whole way through whatever task they were given. She bit her tongue to keep from pointing out to Pete that they had actually left Nick at the house, where he used the bathroom, firmly keeping herself  _out_  of the argument. 'You know where the river is, boy.' Pete turned to Clementine, gesturing with his head at the path to the river. Clementine hesitated a moment, throwing a one shoulder shrug to Nick, before turning to walk with Pete as he continued his tale of Nick the young animal lover, as she had mentally named it. Ever tale needed a name.

'Anyway, so I grab the gun out of his hand before the big buck runs off when  _bang!_ the gun fires. Boy nearly gut shot me.' Pete said. Clementine could sense the imminent storm from the way Nick's brows furrowed, a dark scowl on his face as he looked between the two of them where they walked slightly ahead of him. 'And of course, the buck got away...' Pete added, shaking his head as if this was the truly sad part of the story. Clementine had a feeling that it was to him.

'What are you goin' and tellin' her this shit for?' Nick demanded, stopping suddenly in the middle of the path. Clementine stepped away from them. Both had loaded guns, and she didn't want to be around either if this argument spiraled downwards as fast as the last one she witnessed had.

'Cause you almost blew her face off not so long ago.' Pete said, frowning at his nephew like Nick was a disobedient puppy. 'Seems relevant. Tryin' to let her know it's nothing personal with you.' The two adults glared at each other, and Clementine tried not to move her head as she flicked her eyes between them, trying to guess who would give first and hoping they wouldn't notice she was there until they were finished.

'Why are you always giving me a hard time..?' Nick asked quietly, obviously upset by the hurtful comments.

'Because you're always givin' everyone else a hard time!' Pete snapped in return, deliberately ignoring the sad scowl that his nephew aimed at him.

'I apologized already.' Nick said calmly, meeting Pete's eyes firmly. 'She accepted.'

'Okay, well, I didn't know that...' Pete admitted, though he continued to glare at Nick as if he had known all along and was still working at making Nick mad.

'It's fine... He apologized...' Clementine said to Pete, trying to meet his eyes so he would drop the fight, but the two men had only eyes for each other as their tempers were riled. Clementine sighed and rolled her eyes, resigning herself to see them finish their petty argument.

'You're always tryin' to embarrass me...' Nick accused, raising his chin defiantly as if expecting Pete to deny it.

'You're doin' a good enough job of that on your own!' Pete returned, narrowing his eyes at his nephew. Clementine saw him shift his weight and winced, expecting him to lash out at Nick, but when she glanced back there had still been no physical violence. She sighed in relief. Nick stared at Pete for a long moment, before his shoulders suddenly sagged. He lowered his head and pushed past his uncle, deliberately shoving his shoulder against Pete's as he passed. 'Leavin' us again?' Pete called after him.

'I know where the fuckin' river is!' Nick called back over his shoulder. He never slowed, nor turned to see if they followed, and Clementine grasped her sore arm, a sense of foreboding and concern building as she watched the younger man walk away from them. Her heart went out to the other man, and she couldn't help but feel slightly guilty about the bugs in his pillow once more. Clementine glanced at Pete, and saw him watching Nick sadly. He seemed to feel her eyes on him, for he turned and met her gaze.

'So, anyway...' He said, as if Nick's interruption had never occurred. 'I found that buck, later that season. Shot it right in the neck.' Clementine grimaced at the precise description, but kept herself quiet. After all, it was nothing to shoot things nowadays, and this had been an entirely different world he was talking about. 'Brought it up to my sisters, figurin' she'd wanna freeze some of the meat...' He averted his eyes, seeming hurt by even the mention of the memory. 'Nick didn't speak to me for weeks.' Clementine felt torn, for both men were clearly hurting. She wanted to help comfort them both, but at the same time, she wanted to bang their heads together and tell them to get a grip. 'Sometimes, you gotta play a role... Even if it means people you love, hate you for it.' Pete sighed, turning back to her. She met his eyes, and saw sadness and pain in them. She snorted and rolled her eyes as she shifted her weight between her legs.

'No offense Pete, but that's stupid.' She said flatly. And it was, she knew it and she knew that Pete knew it too from the way he shifted uncomfortably and scuffed his boot against the ground. 'Nick doesn't hate you, but he doesn't understand why you're still treating him like a kid. He's not, and you need to start showing him that you know that. Now I admit, he can be an asshole,' Clementine grinned as Pete gave an unexpected guffaw of laughter, turning his amused gaze to hers. 'But, his hearts in the right place. He needs you to be his uncle now, not his boss who's constantly riding his ass... You should tell him what you just told me. Tell him you love him.' Pete turned away, seeming unsure of how to process the information. Clementine opened her mouth to say more, but then thought that perhaps it would be better for him to remember what she had said for now and think about it in his own time, before deciding for himself how to act about it.

'Nick's father wasn't there much... and he was a piece of shit when he was.' Pete explained. Clementine rolled her eyes and suppressed a sigh, what was it about her that made people explain so much of their previous lives to her when she didn't even ask? Maybe it was her age, she thought to herself. She forced her thoughts away and managed to catch what Pete was saying, as he continued speaking. 'Fell to me to keep him in line, raise him right. Meant I couldn't just be, nice uncle Pete...'

'You can now though.' Clementine said. Pete looked at her like she had grown a second head, and after a brief check of her shoulders to make sure she hadn't suddenly mutated without noticing, she realized that he had just never thought of this before. She laughed quietly, hiding the sound with a cough as she covered her mouth with her hand.

'Uncle Pete!' Nick's cry of alarm killed her sense of amusement, and she locked eyes with Pete for only a moment, before they both dashed down the path Nick had just taken to the river. They raced along, breaking into the clearing just behind Nick.

'Jesus, Mary and Joseph...' Pete said under his breath. Clementine wouldn't have heard him, if she hadn't been standing right before him. She felt her eyes grow wide, as she turned her gaze across the river bank, which was littered with bullet riddled corpses. Whatever _had_  happened to these people, it hadn't been walkers. She barely noticed as Pete walked past her, her breath came in sharp bursts, as she tried to understand what she was seeing. She could tell these people had been shot, but why? When? Were they bad people, shot in protection? Or were they the good guys, shot during a raid by the real bad people? Her heart hurt at the loss of life when it was so unnecessary.

'Fulla holes...' Pete muttered, turning to her. She didn't understand his comment, she could already  _see_ they were full of holes, why was he telling her something she already knew? She heard a strange rasping sound, and didn't understand until she felt Nick's arms turning her around and burying her face in his chest, that the noise was  _her,_ and she was crying uncontrollably.

'Shh, hey Clem, c'mon... it's okay, you're okay...' Nick said soothingly. Clementine almost laughed at the thought of  _Nick_  being soothing, but he had called her Clem, and nobody had done that since Lee, and it erupted a whole new wave of erratic sobs from her. Nick seemed distressed by her apparent worsening and made as if to step away, but she wrapped her arms around his waist, and he seemed to understand that his comfort was appreciated, as he replaced his arm around her shoulders. 'I ain't gonna let nothin' hurt you Clem, it's okay...' He murmured. Clementine felt such a wave of gratitude, she could only cry harder at his kindness. A man who had so totally mistrusted her and almost shot her, would now defend her immediately from any harm. The change in his attitude towards her was touching, and she was both pleased, and disgusted with herself for relying on him so much. She forced herself to get a grip, she had seen far worse than this after all. With deep breaths and calming thoughts of the vegetable plot she had grown to love, she forced herself to calm down and think rationally. Once she was down to the odd sniffle, she stepped away from Nick, throwing him an appreciative, and apologetic, grin. He smiled at her awkwardly and nodded his head at her, clearly telling her they would never speak of this moment again.

'Who, do you think did this..?' She asked, looking to Pete for the answer. She wasn't avoiding Nick's gaze, not at all.

'Not sure yet...' Pete mused as he stared at the nearest body. 'But it ain't your average gang'a thugs, that much I know.' Clementine followed his eyes, as he turned to observe the stretch of the river bank that was strewn with bodies. They were all killed the same way, riddled with bullets and a final shot or general blow to the head after.

'Think about it.' Nick said quietly. Clementine looked over at him, but his eyes were on Pete, fierce and determined. 'You're Carver. What do you do?' Pete looked like he didn't want to think the same thing as Nick, but he clearly was anyway.

'Whose Carver?' She asked, wondering why it was that so many people in the group seemed to keep referring to him, yet never bothered to actually fill her in on the details about who the guy actually was. Pete glanced at her and then returned his gaze to Nick's, locking them back into a grim staring match. Clementine rolled her eyes and sighed as she crossed her arms. Nick looked over at her, and seemed about to say something when Pete's voice cut him off.

'Check those guys there.' He said, gesturing to some bodies by the tree line. Nick turned away from her, and headed towards the bodies Pete had gestured towards. ' _Be careful._ Some of them might still be moving.' He added, as he turned to a clutch of bodies beside the river. Clementine made to follow him, but there was one body slightly off from the others and she wondered if maybe she should search that one. She toyed with the idea for a moment, before crouching down beside it. She hesitantly raised her hands, but couldn't bring herself to actually touch the body. She dropped her hands and stared at the leather jacket, tracing the white pattern on the back with her eyes as she tried to force herself to calm down. She took a deep breath and tried again, raising her hands over the corpse and turning it over to lay on its back. A balding man with a round face stared up at the sky. She winced, and grimaced as she reached up and closed the mans eyes. She wasn't sure why, but she had seen Lee do it plenty of times when they found innocent people dead, so she knew it was something important.

'I'm sorry...' She whispered, as she began to rifle through his pants pockets, finding only loose change and a small pair of nail clippers. She pocketed the lot, her time on the Dairy Farm too fresh in her mind to leave the change behind, and got to her feet. She patted his jacket pockets and felt several distinct shapes. She hurriedly searched the pockets and grinned when she pulled out three boxes of ammo. Pistol ammo, which they couldn't use, but ammo none the less. 'Score.' She said. Pete looked over with a frown, and she waved the boxes at him. He nodded and walked over, taking them from her and putting them in his own pockets.

'Good find Clementine, we're runnin' low on ammo.' He said, smiling as he ruffled her hair. He crouched down and examined the body she had just searched. She grimaced and walked away, trying not to think about the giant hole in the mans forehead. Whenever she saw a head shot, she was reminded of the final kindness she  _should_ have given Lee, but he had told her not to, knowing she was too weak to do it without traumatizing herself further. That was Lee, almost dead, and he put her first. She shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself as she felt the familiar hot burn in her eyes. She forced herself to get a hold on her emotions, and looked over at the river. She squinted as she saw something odd.

'There're more out there...' She said, pointing so the others could see what she meant. Nick and Pete both joined her, and she saw them follow her finger with their eyes.

'This wasn't no rinky dink, pissin' match...' Pete muttered. Clementine continued to hold herself, wishing that Luke were there to keep her mind off of what she was seeing. His presence was comforting, and though Nick had tried and even succeeded, in calming her, she still wished for the other mans input. Perhaps he would even tell her who this 'Carver' person they all kept referring to was.

'What was it then?' Nick asked, walking over to stand beside his uncle. Clementine wasn't sure if they were trying to exclude her from the conversation, but she found she didn't mind. It was pointless, seeing as she was surrounded by corpses wherever she looked, but she didn't mind that they tried to protect her. It was even kind of amusing.

'FUBAR.' Pete said, walking closer to the river.

'Where you goin'?!' Nick cried, causing Clementine to rub her ear at the sudden high pitched assault. Nick looked slightly apologetic at her frown, and cleared his throat before continuing in a lower tone, 'We need to get the fuck outta here!'

'Gotta check the rest.' Pete said calmly.

'What?! Why?!' Nick demanded, his voice creeping higher again. Clementine took a step away from him, hoping it would dull the sound slightly if he went fully high pitched again.

'Calm down and think about it, son.' Pete called, as he waded through the water.

'Calm down?!' Nick cried. Clementine turned to watch as he stared after Pete. 'We gotta get outta here,  _now_!'

'Jesus christ, kid, get a hold of yourself...' Pete sighed, closing his eyes as if in embarrassment as he reached the island of ground in the water and turned back to them. 'I swear, Clementine has more balls than you do sometimes.' Clementine shifted uncomfortably, she assumed that part was supposed to remain unheard over the river, but unfortunately the wind had blown the sound straight to them. She glanced at Nick and saw his jaw tighten, and she wondered if he was recalling her initial breakdown when they first found the bodies.

'What if someone's alive, Nick..?' She asked, meeting his gaze hesitantly.

'Who cares?!' Clementine frowned at his attitude, losing her thoughts and feelings about his kindness.

'What if it were you?' She asked quietly, making him pause as he considered. While he was thinking about it, she turned away and followed Pete across to the island.

'Cause they might just be inclined to tell us who did this.' Pete called, clearly having missed the latter part of their conversation, for which Clementine was extremely grateful. Not that it was embarrassing to her, just that she didn't want Pete to have another reason to berate Nick. Even if he was being an ass. 'We gotta do this now.' Pete shook his head at his nephew, before turning aside to let Clementine walk past him. 'Stay there and keep searchin' those guys.'

'This is a dumb idea...' Nick muttered, though Clementine could just make out his words. She saw Pete go to reply, but he caught sight of her watching and just sighed instead.

'Come on, Clem,' he said, leading her further into the small island of dry ground. Clementine frowned, first Nick and now Pete, before she knew it everybody would be calling her Clem, she just knew it. She wasn't entirely certain she was okay with it yet, or that she ever would be. Lee had been both first, and last, to call her that name. 'You wanna be useful, keep a lookout on that tree-line. Whoever did this might still be out there... Waitin' for another sucker to stumble across this mess. Just like baitin' a fish...' Pete trailed off, staring suspiciously at the trees. When it became clear that he was lost in his own little world, Clementine cleared her throat.

'I'm on it.' She said firmly. He grinned down at her.

'You always so agreeable?' He asked, shouldering his rifle.

'No.' She answered simply. He laughed at her outright denial.

'Good.' He said. 'You'll fit right in with this outfit.' He offered her a wink, which she giggled at, before something behind her caught his notice. She turned as he walked past her, and stopped beside a trapped walker. It had been shot, same as the others, but with no finishing wound to the head. Clementine grimaced when she saw that instead, it had been impaled in its shoulder to keep it from escaping. 'Hm, same deal, all shot to pieces...' He muttered. Clementine wondered if he realized he was stating the obvious, or whether he genuinely thought she couldn't see all the bullet holes in the walker. He stepped forward and stamped a heavy boot firmly onto the walkers chest, before he removed the makeshift spear. He examined the small knife tied to the long pole for a moment, before thrusting it hard into the writhing walkers head, effectively ending its unnatural life. He looked up and scowled across the river.

'More on that side.' He said disgustedly, gesturing to the bank opposite to where they had come from. 'You check out these ones, see if there's anything on 'em that'll tell us who they were.' He added, before he headed over to the unchecked area. Clementine turned and resolved to check the bodies as quickly as she could so she could head back to the cabin as soon as possible. The first two bodies had nothing in their pockets and no faces left to identify them from. She hastily turned away from them and went to the third body. She walked over and came to a dead halt, freezing in her tracks with a gasp. Her mind went blank, as her world narrowed to the small backpack just beyond the body she had been about to check. She slowly forced her legs to carry her closer, kneeling beside the pack. With hands that trembled worse than any time she had ever held a gun, she reached for the backpack and opened it. A bottle of water, and a lighter were inside, all that remained of her collected items it seemed. She released a small sob, before she noticed a bulge in the pack lining. She opened the small zipped compartment and drew out some crumpled papers, one was a drawing of Kenny's family she had drawn when they all lived at the Motor Inn. The other, she had thought she would never see again.

She dropped the drawing, releasing a loud sob of both distress and relief, as she held up her stolen photograph of Lee. When they were trapped in his parents drugstore back in Macon, he had ripped the picture, and for whatever reason, he had left the part of himself behind. When they were escaping, she had run to the office to grab Lee's fathers cane, remembering how strong it was and how Lee had said it protected the store better than any alarm or camera. She had grabbed the photo on the way back out to Lee, after glimpsing it on the bloody mattress. She cried and laughed as she traced his small form with her free finger, and she then screamed when the body beside her coughed.

'Clementine!' Nick and Pete both called to her, but she was totally ignorant of them both, staring instead at a face she recognized only barely. Her backpack had been hidden in the tree she had been sitting on with Christa, to keep it dry from the rain. That meant that these people, this man, had to have been to her camp since she had left it. Or perhaps, were the cause of her leaving it.

'That's my backpack...' She said quietly, gesturing with her chin. The man followed her gesture, and an understanding lit his dying eyes. She narrowed her eyes at him as he didn't try to hide his recognition. 'You were in the woods with Christa...' She scowled as the man seemed to try and nod, his coughing worse as he tried to move. 'The woman I was with,' she began, shifting closer to him. 'What  _happened_  to her?!' She demanded. She waited, but the man could only cough. Clementine grew irritated, until the man gestured to the water bottle weakly, and she understood what he needed.

'P-leas-' He rasped. Clementine frowned. This was one of the men who had cornered Christa, was about to shoot her and kill her for nothing, until Clementine had intervened. Christa had run off, but Clementine knew she had heard her groan of pain and a gunshot. Had Christa been as lucky as she, had the shot missed? Was she alive? To get her answers, she needed the man to speak. She put her photo of Lee into the bag gently, grabbed the water bottle and twisted off the lid, filling the small cap and reaching over to tip it into the mans mouth. He swallowed, and she repeated the gesture a few times, until he rolled onto his back, coughing loudly. 'Thank- hanky- than-' He muttered, before turning his head aside. Clementine noticed his chest stopped moving and she leapt to her feet.

'No!' She cried, dropping the bottle of water in her haste as she scrambled closer to him. 'No, you promised! Tell me!  _Tell me you bastard!_ ' She shook him, and shook him, and shook him, even banging his head against the ground as she screamed and raged at him. How could he just die, without offering her any of the answers he had promised her? She was suddenly torn away from him by a strong pair of arms around her chest, which lifted her into the air.

'Whoa, shit,' she didn't care who it was, only that they were stopping her punishing the man for his betrayal of her kindness. She kicked with her legs wildly, forcing the man holding her to take several small steps to counter balance her. She scratched and clawed at the arms caging her, growling and screaming angrily. 'Holy shit, will you just... Clementine,  _stop!_ ' Nick's voice suddenly registered in her ears, and she forced herself to do as he asked, and stop. She breathed heavily through her mouth, her ragged breaths loud and interrupted by a few small sobs. 'If I put you down, are you gonna behave or start wailin' on that corpse like some sorta crazy fucker again?' She almost smiled at his question, but she was exhausted from her previous outburst.

'You want me to answer that honestly, or will you not put me down if I do? Should I make up something?' She asked, turning her head enough to meet his eye. He seemed relieved to see her calmed down slightly, and set her on the floor gently, though he still held onto her loosely for a moment until she nodded, at which point he released her entirely.

'What the hell was that?' Nick asked, gesturing to the now rather battered, recently deceased man. 'I ain't seen you lose your shit like that since the night you arrived. Ain't heard you swear since then either...'

'...' Clementine looked at the man from the corner of her eyes, feeling distraught with herself for being so disrespectful to the dead mans body. She wasn't that person, she didn't treat people that way, even when they did her wrong. She shook her head and gathered her things, putting them into her backpack as she spoke. 'This was one of the men that attacked my friend and I, the night before Luke and Pete found me. This group of... people, are the very men who - for all I know, killed my friend... he was just about to tell me what they did to her, I gave him water so he could tell me... and he just, died.'

Nick was silent as he processed the information, and Clementine didn't look up as she finished packing her things and putting on her backpack. She got to her feet and turned to find him glaring angrily at the corpse she had been abusing. 'Well then... can't say I blame you.' He said eventually. He walked over to the walker Pete had finished off, removing the make-shift spear from its head, before walking back, and slamming it into the recently dead mans head. Blood spattered over Clementine's cheeks and clothes, and she glared at Nick accusingly. He shrugged his shoulder, and did not apologize.

'Argh!' They turned as one towards Pete, as he suddenly cried out in alarm. They saw him stumble, and a walker chasing him, crawling along the floor in an attempt to grab him. Just as it raised his hand as if reaching to claw his flesh from his arm, Pete raised his rifle to the things face, and pulled the trigger. The loud bang echoed in the otherwise silent scene around them, and Pete doubled over as he tried to catch his breath.

'Pete!' Nick called, starting towards his uncles side of the river, his eyes never straying from his uncle.

'I'm fine, I'm fine!' Pete called, though he looked anything but in Clementine's opinion. He looked rattled, and afraid. She examined him closely, and she felt her heart break, when she saw the tear in the bottom of his trouser leg. She grabbed Nick's arm, and held him in place. He tried to shake her off, even turned to glare at her, but something about her must have tipped him off to her seriousness, for he frowned and stepped closer to her. 'Just... lost my footing... god _dammit..!_ ' Pete looked up, and met Clementine's tormented gaze. His eyes widened as he saw in her eyes the knowledge that he had been bitten. She had a choice, to leave him and force Nick to do the same, or to take him with them and last as long as they could. He seemed to sense when she made her decision.

'We need to get out of here before more of them show up,' she said, gesturing at the dead walker at his feet. 'That will have attracted any in the area...' Pete nodded, and began to hobble towards the water without further comment. He watched her carefully, and she nodded, confirming she knew, but wanted him to come with them back to the cabin. Though she personally doubted the capabilities of their "good doctor" she figured that Carlos could decide what they were to do next. Perhaps he would be just as heartless with people he knew, she would soon find out. The growling and shuffling sounds of walkers could be heard coming through the trees behind Pete. Thinking quickly, Clementine dropped to her knees and began patting the dead mans pockets.

'Hey, Clem... I know these guys did you wrong and all, but uh... I think you already beat the shit outta him pretty good, and he ain't gonna feel it anyway...' Nick said, flicking his eyes between watching Clementine and watching Pete. Clementine ignored him, searching the corpse as best she could. She edged her fingers between the man and the ground, and grimaced with effort as she felt her prize. She grasped the handle and tugged, but couldn't move it.

'Help me!' She cried, looking up at Nick. He looked down and frowned, but still hunkered down and slipped his hands under the mans side, rolling him onto his front.

'Wow, how'd you-' Nick's question was cut off, as Clementine grabbed the handle of the gun and swung it round to face Pete. She aimed, and shot three times.  _'Pete!'_ Nick cried, dropping the body unceremoniously to the ground. Clementine lowered her arm and calmly jammed the gun into the back of her trousers, before hurrying forward.

'Damn girl, your friend  _did_ teach you proper...' Pete huffed, as she put his arm around her shoulder and helped him onto the island. The three walkers she had shot lay in the water, but there were plenty more following them. 'I'm only gonna slow ya down, you guys gotta go!' He said, his breathing hard as he tried to hurry across the next stretch of water. Nick scoffed and took Pete's other arm, lifting most of his weight as they crossed the river and made it back to the side they had started. They hesitated only a moment, upon seeing their path back to the cabin was blocked by walkers, before they limped off into the woods.

'Clementine, watch our asses!' Nick ordered. Clementine let go of Pete's arm and drew her gun, glancing over her shoulders often so she could keep the walkers back. She would turn and fire whenever one got too close for her liking, trying to shoot as little as possible. But even one shot was enough for a walker to get started. Soon they were coming from all sides, and it became clear that they weren't going to be able to make it to the cabin.

'You have to-'

'Goddammit old man, if you tell me to leave you again, I am gonna punch your eyes.' Clementine chuckled at the inside joke. Everyone knew of her threat to Luke, and how she had poked him in the eye. It had become a running joke between them all when they grew frustrated, and it was good that even in their darkest hour, that Nick was trying to lighten the mood and keep Pete's spirits up. Clementine downed another walker, its brains exploding onto a nearby tree. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and turned to catch up to the men.

'We need to find somewhere to wait them out!' She called to Nick, who merely grunted by way of reply. She scampered ahead, scouting as far as she dared before heading back to check the rear for potential walker threat. Nick nodded to her as he passed her, clearly struggling with Pete's added weight to his own. Pete wasn't doing so well either, swear poured from his brow and he was rapidly losing energy. Clementine searched desperately with her eyes, wishing and praying for anything that could help them.

'There!' Nick called. Clementine followed the direction he was now facing, and he seemed to find a new energy to boost Pete towards the small shed. Clementine grinned and thanked whoever was listening to her for their help, before she hurried after them. She reloaded her pistol and shot another two walkers on the way, before she shoved it into her backpack, and pushed open the doors. She held them open until Pete and Nick were safely inside, and screamed when she turned back to see four walkers almost at the doors. She slammed them shut and Nick came to help her keep them closed, adding his weight to hers. His eyes strayed to Pete repeatedly, but he grit his teeth and held the doors tight.

'Nick! Find something!' She cried, pleading with her eyes as he met her gaze with a slightly stupefied expression. He seemed confused by her request at first, but he seemed to slowly gain some understanding. He turned and stared into the small shed, and walked away from the doors. ' _Nick!'_  Clementine cried, trying to hold the doors closed on her own.

'What the hell are you doin' boy?' Pete growled, holding his leg as he leaned against a crate. Nick didn't answer as he picked up a heavy crate and brought it over to the doors. Clementine thought the walkers were just about to push their way inside, when Nick slammed the heavy crate down in front of the doors and sealed the walkers out, and themselves inside. Clementine leaned back against the wall, sagging in relief. She smiled up at Nick gratefully, but she saw the pain in his eyes and realized that he knew Pete had been bitten. Her smile died like the man by the river, quickly and without warning. They looked at Pete together, and were both surprised to see him holding a saw.

'Found it on the shelves here...' Pete said quietly, watching them both carefully. 'So I guess there's only one question left to ask...' He said. Clementine felt the air grow tense around them. There was a sense of foreboding she couldn't shake, and though she could guess what Pete was about to say, she hoped against hope that she was wrong. She didn't want to witness it, to have to imagine how Lee had done the same thing to his arm all over again, but with fresh evidence to compare it to. She silently pleaded with Pete not to say it, but he either didn't understand or didn't care, because he said it anyway. 'Which one of us is gonna be the lucky son of a bitch who gets to take off my leg?'


	8. The Harsh World We Live In

Clementine, ran. She ran as fast as she could. Her breath came in ragged and torn gulps, as her chest heaved for air and her gut burned with a stitch that she forced herself to ignore. She didn't know if she was even running in the right direction anymore, she was alone and lost in the dark woods and there was nobody to help her find her. Fear tried to grip her, tendrils of horror and despair trying to slip into her mind, but the fierce and furious pace she ran at kept it at bay, for the time being. She could hear walkers behind her, somewhere, but she didn't dare to look back and check, focusing instead on the movement of her feet and the breath she sucked into her lungs as often as she could. With a final burst of speed, she broke through the tree line and was racing toward the cabin at full speed. She didn't dare pause, before throwing herself through the back door, slamming the door behind her.

"Clementine!" Carlos's surprised voice greeted her, and she mentally repressed her immediate desire to roll her eyes. She had been hoping to just speak to Luke and have him talk to Carlos, but, the situation called for the doctors help and she didn't have time to be picky about who she talked to. "Are you all right?" He asked, getting to his feet while Rebecca remained seated at the table and glared at Clementine angrily. Carlos glanced behind Clementine as if expecting someone to be following her, and she did a discreet check of her own to make sure she was still alone. She worked at slowing her breathing, holding the counter with one hand and her side with the stitch with the other. "Luke's not with you?" Carlos asked, causing Clementine to snap her eyes to his. Cold dread flooded her, as she looked between the two adults with fear in her eyes.

"Where's Alvin?!" Rebecca demanded, getting to her feet hurriedly. Clementine felt sweat begin to form which had nothing to do with her exhausting sprint to the cabin. She felt fear swamp her, stealing her newfound breath and she turned away, closing her eyes as she tried to force her heart to stop pounding so hard in her chest.

"What happened?" Carlos asked, though Clementine just shook her head and held out one hand, as if to fend him off as she heard his footsteps approaching her. "It's been hours..." Clementine opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling, trying to steady herself enough to speak. When her breathing finally calmed enough to allow her a few words, she turned to face the two worry stricken adults. "Where are they?!" Carlos demanded, seeing she was ready to speak.

"Pete got bit." She said, taking short pants of air between her words. Carlos and Rebecca both recoiled from her as if struck, Carlos closing his eyes in obvious grief.

" _What?"_ Rebecca roared.

"What happened?" Carlos asked more calmly, though clearly still distressed by the news.

"Walkers." Clementine said. The one word alone was enough explanation for the adults, who's eyes first widened, and then closed in silent commiseration.

"My god..." Carlos muttered, turning away slightly and looking as if he were about to be sick. Clementine thought it odd that a doctor, who should really be used to such things by now, had such a weak stomach. But then she reasoned, perhaps it wasn't the action itself, so much as the fact that it was  _Pete_ who was his friend and had been a valued part of his group so long. Unlike the young girl who stumbled by with a dog bite and merely asked for help so she may go on her way.

"Where were you? Where were you  _exactly?!"_ Rebecca demanded, stepping closer menacingly. Clementine met the woman's furious gaze calmly, having seen far worse in the past hours than Rebecca's temper. She stubbornly held her tongue for as long as she could, before guilt over her childishness made her finally speak.

"We were down by the stream, checking the nets..." Clementine began. She took a deep breath, and proceeded to tell them, the whole, grizzly tale.

* * *

_Clementine was frozen by the doors, her heart racing from both fear and adrenaline. She turned her eyes between the two men, uncertain if they truly expected that she be capable of removing a mans leg. Her eyes widened, as Nick took a deep breath and walked over to his uncle. He stood a moment, before snatching the saw from Pete's hands. Clementine saw his own hands wobble for a second, before he seemed to steady himself, his back straightening as he made his decision._

_"You're gonna have to move Uncle Pete." He said gruffly. He gestured for Pete to sit between two crates on the opposite wall, effectively boxing him in so he couldn't move too much during the amputation. "Clementine, look around, see if you can't find something we can use as a tourniquet..." He said over his shoulder at her. Clementine stared at him in horror and awe. She couldn't have been the one to help Lee, she knew that as much as she loved Lee, she could never have done what Nick was preparing to do now. She saw a strength in him that he didn't seem to be aware he had, and she felt double the coward for not having that kind of strength for those she loved herself._

_"O-okay..." She stuttered, forcing herself to push away from the wall. She edged her way around Pete, as he tried to move himself as his nephew directed. He threw her a crooked grin, but she was ashamed to find she couldn't return it. From the way his grin faded and the look in his eyes, she guessed she was staring at him in either abject horror, or just outright fear. She shook her head and hurried to the back of the shed, searching the shelves for anything she could give the two men to help the... process. "Wha- what's this..?" She asked, holding up a large glass jar._

_"Bring it here, let me see..." Pete said, holding out a hand as he shifted himself on the floor. Clementine walked over and handed him the jar, trying her hardest to show only sympathy as she smiled weakly at him. He returned her weak grin gratefully, as he reached out and took the jar. He removed the lid and recoiled at the smell of whatever was inside. "My bettin' is on Moonshine..." She muttered. Clementine frowned, sure she should know what it was he meant, but she was completely clueless. She made a mental note to ask Luke, if he ever found them, or she made it out and found him. "Urgh," Pete grimaced, as he swallowed a small sip of the stuff in the jar. "Whiskey." He said, though Clementine couldn't tell if he was pleased or not by his discovery. However when Pete looked at her and grinned widely before taking another larger gulp, she hazarded a guess that he was pleased. "This'll do nicely thankyou Clementine," he said between swallows. "If there's anymore, bring a couple over - they're gonna come in mighty useful." He added, gesturing vaguely to the back shelf where she had found the jars._

_"You shouldn't drink too much," Nick said, snatching the jar from his uncle, "this shit'll thin your blood too much." He said, taking a large swig from the jar himself. Clementine rolled her eyes as she went to get some more of the jars, at the rate those two were going, she would be the only sober one left. She paused as she saw a large rubber band, the kind used to secure fabric lids to jam jars. After a second of thought, she took the band too, and handed it to Nick when she got back over to them. Pete took another jar for himself from her pile, though he didn't start drinking immediate, so Clementine thought that might be a partial win for Nick. He gestured to a broken rake, and Clementine rushed to get it, bringing the long wooden handle and giving it to Pete when he held out his hand. He nodded his thanks, while Nick applied the rubber band just above Pete's shin. Both men took deep breaths, as Nick sank to his knees and Pete put the broken pole between his teeth._

_"You ready for this?" Nick asked his uncle, taking a final swig of the alcohol before placing the saw against his uncles leg, just below the shin but well above the bite which adorned his uncle's ankle. Pete shook his head, and Clementine felt pity in her heart at his child like appearance. For all that these men were strong, they were afraid. She swallowed the lump in her throat and walked over to Pete, settling herself just behind him, and wrapping her arms around his torso, burying her face in his shoulder as she hugged him tightly._

_Without further words, Nick began to saw. Pete screamed, and Clementine screamed with him. She thought she heard Nick screaming too, but she couldn't be certain, though she regularly heard him apologize in a small and broken voice. She couldn't bring herself to look. The whole time Nick sawed away at his uncles leg, Pete's screams piercing the air around them, she kept her eyes fiercely squeezed shut. She gave Pete her warmth, and as much comfort as she was able, but she could not bring herself to watch. She realized after some time, that Pete's screams had stopped. Either he had passed out, died, or Nick was finished. She forced herself to prize her eyes open, and through the narrow slits of her eyelids, she saw that Nick was dousing the fresh stump with a jar of the alcohol. She made herself open her eyes fully, and immediately wished that she hadn't as she was struck by the sight of so much blood everywhere, and Pete's discarded foot a short distance from his leg._ _She denied herself the urge to retch, instead loosening her hold on Pete's torso, finding his hand and gripping it tightly. She felt a weight in her heart shift, as he squeezed weakly back._

_"Are you okay..?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she cursed herself an idiot. No matter who she was asking, the answer would be the same, and it wasn't likely to be a positive response. Nick glanced at her, and she felt the pain in his eyes like a physical blow. She nodded to him, and he returned the gesture, before turning his eyes back to the stump of his uncles leg, as he tried to stem the blood flow. Clementine forced herself to let go of Pete, easing her way around him until she hunkered down beside Nick. She gently rested her steadier hands over his shaking ones, taking over the task of bandaging the stump and gesturing that he try and clean up some of the spilled blood. She saw his adam's apple bob, as he swallowed heavily, before moving away to try and find something to soak up the blood._

_"So..." Pete croaked quietly, as he removed the wooden pole from his mouth. Clementine eyed the deep teeth marks, pity in her heart, as he set the pole aside and grabbed a jar of Whiskey. "Ya think I'll be dancin' a Remigold before the end'a the week?" He joked. Clementine frowned, as she carefully wrapped the bandages around the freshly sawed off leg. Pete chuckled at her expression, raising the jar before he took another gulp. "I guess you're a little young to get the reference." He said. As she tied off the bandage, she looked up to find him watching her closely. She gently set his leg down when she was finished, and found that he was actually watching his leg. "I can still feel my piggly wigglies... n' yet their all the way over there..." He said quietly. Clementine felt her heart ache for the man, as he turned his eyes over to his removed foot. He then met her gaze, and she saw reflected in them, the same question which was burnt into her own mind. Did it work?_

_"I'll... hide this." Clementine said, averting her eyes from his. She moved away, trying not to look as she covered Pete's foot with a dusty blanket she found on a higher shelf, and moved it out of the mans sight. Knowing it wasn't there anymore wouldn't help him, but at least not seeing it every second might help. Clementine looked over at Nick, who she saw was now drinking heavily. She frowned, but decided to leave them both to it. She wasn't about to deny either one of them the chance to dull their pain, and after what they had been forced to endure, she couldn't deny that they had every right to drown their sorrows. She tucked herself away in the furthest corner, hidden from their sight, and curled herself into a ball. At first she thought of Lee, wondering if he had felt the same sort of desolation as he stared at his amputated hand, as Pete had when he saw his foot. She forced the thought aside, and after a time, she slept the dreamless sleep, of the truly exhausted._

_She was woken by the sound of breaking glass. She felt confused at first, unsure of her surroundings, but all too soon the horrifying recent events came flooding back to her. She hurriedly got to her feet, fear driving her to defend herself. When no attack was forth-coming, she deigned to peek her head around the end of the shelves, finding that she wasn't under attack by walkers, only that Nick was being an asshole. She frowned and rolled her eyes, as she stepped out from her small corner of the shed. She stopped as she passed Pete, checking his chest was still moving and that he wasn't bleeding too much, before continuing on to Nick._

_"What the hell is your problem?" She demanded, folding her arms over her chest. Nick ignored her, instead throwing another empty jar at the wall opposite him. Clementine glanced back at Pete, but he made no motion that he was disturbed by his nephews antics, sleeping through the whole affair. Clementine deduced that the two of them had drunk plenty enough between them that a small earthquake may not even wake the man. She turned back to Nick, as his smashing rampage came to a halt. He slowly lowered the last jar, staring at the floor blankly._

_"I had to kill my mom." He said quietly. Clementine unfolded her arms, understanding dawning in her heart. She hesitated, before she sat down beside him, curling her arms around her legs as she looked up at him, and waited for him to continue. "Sounds weird when I say it out loud, huh?" He said, glancing over at her. She shook her head sadly, and she saw the understanding in his eyes. They had all done things that they had never thought themselves capable, and sounding weird, didn't make it any less true. "Luke always used to push me." He said suddenly, turning away. Clementine waited for him to continue patiently, knowing he needed to talk and silently vowing to be ready to listen._

_"I never wanted to go into business with him." Nick said firmly, glancing at Clementine. She smiled and imagined Luke constantly pestering Nick to go into business with him. She almost laughed at the image of a younger Luke determinedly trying to get Nick on board with his plans, but managed to contain herself just barely as Nick continued to talk. "I remember when he sold me on it. His big plan... Some fuckin' plan..." Clementine rolled her eyes, finding it amusing that Luke of all people had a plan, any plan. Most times she worked with him, he just dove into anything head first and thought about it afterwards. "A case of beer in, he just said; 'Nick, we're burnin' daylight!' and that was that." He said, as he unscrewed the top off of a new jar of Whiskey. "Six months in and we were flat broke. But I didn't care... we were havin' fun." He took a long swig from the jar, head tipped back as he swallowed the liquor. Clementine looked away, not knowing if she should say anything._

_"I wish I could be like him..." Nick murmured. She looked back to see Nick staring wistfully at the opposite wall, his head leaning against the wall behind him, pushing his hat to an odd angle on his head. "I wish I could just, keep movin' all the time. But I'm just not..." He glanced at Clementine, and she met his eyes curiously, sensing his desire to say something specific, yet also seeing in his eyes the moment he chose to say something else instead. "built like that." He said finally, averting his eyes. Clementine frowned, not understanding the sudden change in how he'd been about to speak. Before she could say anything, he had already continued. "Everyone I grew up with..." He said, his head flopping forward to hang over the jar of Whiskey. "It all... happened to them." He murmured, taking another deep drink from his jar. "And now, its gonna happen to us." He said, with an air of finality and certainty. Clementine frowned at him, annoyed by his apparent wallowing. "We're all so fucked... the whole world is fucked..."_

_"You're just drunk." Clementine sighed, rolling her eyes._

_"No shit." Nick laughed, taking another swig from his jar. He drank long and deep, until Clementine finally just batted the jar away, causing it to break on the far wall. "Hey!"_

_"We'll make it." Clementine said forcefully, almost believing it herself._

_"Bullshit." Nick said after a long moments pause. He averted his gaze and made to get himself another jar of Whiskey, but Clementine grabbed his hands and held them as tight as she could, leaning close to him so he couldn't avoid her glare._

_"We will make it, you know why, **asshole?** " She asked, all but spitting the words into his face from her irritation. "Because your uncle is laying over there,  **sans fucking foot** , and you are not gonna fall apart now, feeling sorry for yourself when you could still  **save his fucking life."** Clementine said, her voice rising as she tried to force him to understand her and finally get some sense into his head._

_"You're scary when you swear Clem, anyone ever told you that?" Nick said. Clementine glared at him even harder, and he sighed in defeat. "You said it doesn't work." He said quietly, trying to avoid her glare but having nowhere else to look. He finally met her eyes reluctantly. "That first night... you said it never worked..." Clementine released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, sympathetic to the pain he was feeling. She shook her head slowly._

_"I only met one man, who took his arm trying to give himself enough time to rescue a stupid little girl, from a situation she had gotten herself into." Clementine said slowly, averting her own eyes in shame, as she released Nick's hands. "That man saved the little girl, but it was too late for himself. That man took his arm, just to buy himself enough time to save her. Nothing more. Lee..." Using Lee's name hurt too much and the words caught in her throat for a moment, a hard lump she had to swallow away before she could continue. "That man might have survived, had he taken his hand off sooner. If he hadn't gone chasing after that **stupid, stupid..."** She felt a hot tear on her cheek, and she brushed it away angrily, glancing at Nick briefly before settling her gaze on Pete, unable to endure the sympathy in Nick's eyes._

_"He sounds like a great guy..." Nick said quietly, hesitantly taking her hand and squeezing it gently. "I'm glad he saved that little girl, but I have a feeling she weren't so stupid. Seems to me like she was pretty smart. Must be, if she's able to go 'round tellin' adults off in such a way they have to get a grip and pull themselves together..." He added, which made her almost giggle, not that she let him know it. "But seriously Clem, what's the point?" Clementine groaned, as Nick began to sink back into his depression. "We'll just march to some new place, and somebody else will die..." Clementine turned to glare at him, but found his eyes instead on Pete. She glanced over herself, to see the man was shuddering slightly._

_"So make sure it isn't Pete." She said, turning back to Nick. She waited until Nick reluctantly met her eyes before continuing. " **You** stood up and took that saw, when I couldn't. I couldn't... I could never. But you did. You did the hardest thing anyone could do in this world now, you made a choice to  **save him.** " She said, pointing at Pete. "You did that. He would have died already without your help. So stop whining, and help me find a way to get him to Carlos." Nick stared at her for a long moment, seeming to think things over in his no doubt now significantly clouded mind. After a long and calculating look, he offered her a fresh jar of Whiskey. Clementine gave him a withering look, but he just raised a brow and she was surprised to see one corner of his mouth twitch upwards. She thought for a moment, before deciding that if it got him out of his wallowing, she would probably have done it a lot sooner. She hesitantly took the jar, holding it to her nose and sniffing it. She recoiled from the smell, which made Nick chuckle lightly. With a final glare at him, she took a timid sip, and upon swallowing, she immediately began to cough heavily. Nick laughed loudly as he took the jar from her and allowed her a moment to regain her composure._

_"Well, if you're strong enough to drink Whiskey, I reckon you're just about strong enough to do anything you put your mind to." He said lightly, one hand gently cuffing her cap. She turned her face to the floor to hide a goofy grin, making sure she wiped all trace of it clear before she looked back up at him. "Look, its been a day. We need Carlos, but uncle Pete's in no condition to travel, so you're gonna have to go and get the gang. You'll have to bring them here, and we can all go back to the cabin together." Nick said. Clementine almost rejected his plan immediately, but then reasoned that it did make the most sense._

_"What about you?" She asked uncertainly, glancing at Pete._

_"Someone has to be here... in case..." Nick trailed off, watching his uncle with a sadness that made Clementine's heart ache._

_"I could stay - you could probably run faster than me..!" She said, offering him a way to avoid the potential need to execute his own uncle. Before she had even finished, Nick was shaking his head defiantly._

_"It should be me." He said determinedly. Clementine rolled her eyes, of all the times for him to decide he was going to stand his ground._

_"Nick, we could go together..." Again Nick shook his head._

_"Nah, uncle Pete couldn't fight them off, not in his... condition." Nick said, stammering over how to phrase Pete's recent mutilation. "Clem, its okay." He said, turning to face her, cutting off any further arguments from her. She saw the determination in his eyes and sighed. She got to her feet, and felt guilty that she took no small amount of pleasure in the way he struggled to follow her example and get to his own feet. When he finally managed it, he chose not to say anything, instead gesturing towards the doors. "I'm gonna seal the doors up again, soon as you're out..." He slurred, as he pulled the crate far enough from the door that Clementine could slip through the gap._

_"Don't get dead." Clementine said, hesitating before she left. She glanced over at Pete and her heat broke at the pitiful stump at the end of the mans leg. "Either of you." She added, turning back to meet Nick's eyes. Nick smiled at her, a drunken kind of crooked grin._

_"Back at'cha," he said, before turning serious again. "Seriously Clem, you run like your ass is on fire, don't look back and don't stop - just run." He warned. She nodded her head, and then silently wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her forehead to his chest briefly. Nick might be an asshole on occasion, but he was also a much deeper person than she had first conceived, and the thought of losing his friendship was a hard one to bear. He gently patted her head a moment, before she pulled away, turning to the door. He pulled it open for her, and without a backward glance, she dashed out the gap and did exactly as she had been told; she ran like her ass was on fire._

* * *

Several times during her talking, Carlos and Rebecca respectively looked as though they wanted to ask a question, but they seemed to sense that once begun, she couldn't stop speaking, and they waited until she was finished with the whole tale before beginning to ask her for deeper details on certain parts.

"You cut off his  _fucking leg?!_ " Rebecca cried disgustedly. "You mutilated him, an old man?" She spat. Clementine calmly met her gaze, and slowly wiped her face of the imaginary spittle she pretended Rebecca had covered her in. She was internally delighted by the spark of fury in the older woman's eyes.

"And that's different from when you planned to do it to me, how?" She asked quietly. Rebecca's fury diminished distinctly, though she still glared angrily at her.

"Clementine, I need you to be very specific." Carlos said, resting his hands on her shoulders to get her attention. Clementine looked at his hands, and then turned her eyes up to Carlos, raising a brow at his presumption about touching her. He dutifully removed his hands, holding them out in a gesture of peace to placate her. "I need to know; was Pete bleeding out? Was he still breathing when you left, was he  _alive?_ " He asked. Clementine almost didn't answer. It was childish, being so hurt by the concern these people showed to Pete when they had not shown it to her, but she was, despite her maturity, still just a child, so perhaps it was only natural that she resent them at least a little for their attitudes.

"He was alive." She said calmly, meeting his eyes determinedly. Carlos and Rebecca exchanged long looks, clearly having an entire silent conversation about the reliability of her judgement. She huffed an annoyed sigh, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared up at them both. She was more trustworthy in her judgement of Pete's condition than Carlos would ever be.

"We gotta go." Rebecca said, narrowing her eyes at Carlos, who sighed and rubbed at his stubble covered chin thoughtfully.

"Just hold on a minute." He said, trying to calm the angry woman.

"We gotta go,  _now."_  She said forcefully, jabbing a finger into his chest. " _My_ husband is  _still out there. **Get. The. Guns.**_ " Clementine took a discreet step away, concerned that the angry woman may suddenly implode at any moment. Carlos averted his eyes, before sighing and complying with Rebecca's demands. As soon as he was out the kitchen, Rebecca threw a glare over her shoulder, as if the entire situation were Clementine's fault. "Luke and Alvin went out looking for you. Luke was worried 'cuz you never came back yesterday. Alvin's too soft to know a good thing when it falls in his lap, so he was concerned about you too. I told them not to go..." Her voice broke as she trailed off, turning away from Clementine to hide her fears about her husband. Clementine bit back a retort, understanding that the woman was afraid and lashing out. "Dammit, Luke." She heard Rebecca mutter, and she closed her eyes as she forced herself to count to ten so she wouldn't snap at the woman. Luke didn't make Alvin do anything he didn't want to. Alvin was a nice person, unlike his wife, so it was his own decision to go. Even without being there, Clementine knew it in her heart.

"Clementine, can you..." Carlos began, hesitating as he gave Rebecca a rifle and watched her march out the kitchen door. He turned back to her with a torn expression, but he seemed to both weigh his options and make up his mind pretty quick. "Can you please watch Sarah?" He asked. Clementine blinked, staring at him in dumb shock. She shook her head and frowned.

"Didn't you tell me to stay away from her?" She asked, looking up to see that Carlos was still torn by his limited options.

"Just distract her please,  _don't tell her anything,_ just... keep her upstairs until we get back." Carlos said quickly, checking out the door to see how far ahead Rebecca had gotten. Clementine rolled her eyes, already planning to tell Sarah everything she could. The girl had been too sheltered, if she wanted to live, she needed to  _know._

"Okie dokie." Clementine said, saluting as she had seen Duck do when he used to say it to his parents. She felt the pain grip her heart at the thought of him, but she fought it off, keeping herself together for the present situation. She could always fall apart later.

"You'll be safe inside." Carlos said, overflowing with relief and gratitude. Clementine felt slightly awkward, knowing she was planning to go against everything this man wanted for his daughter, but it had to be done. "Just don't open the doors for anything! We'll be back soon... and, thankyou." Clementine rolled her eyes at being thanked for basically babysitting a girl years older than herself. She sighed as Carlos hurried out the door and shut it securely behind himself. She debated just waiting out the time on her own downstairs, but decided to head up and get her life lesson with Sarah done with as soon as possible. She headed up the stairs, and decided against knocking before entering the other girls room.

"Say cheese!" Sarah cried, as Clementine opened the door. Clementine froze, her hand automatically dropping to her waist for her gun. Luckily it was in her backpack, otherwise she would have had some serious explaining to do when Carlos got back. "I found this under the house, there was all kinds of old stuff!"

"Under the house?" Clementine asked confusedly.

"Yeah, when you said that was how you got in before, I really wanted to go look, so I've been searching it slowly." Sarah said excitedly, waving a Polaroid back and forth. Clementine chose not to comment on the stupidity of going somewhere so small and enclosed with nobody else knowing where you were or there to back you up, realizing that preparing this girl for the real world was perhaps a much larger job than she had first realized. She walked closer and dropped her backpack on the floor in the corner. "It's so cool..." Sarah gushed, as she handed over the photo of Clementine, who frowned at the startled expression on the small face staring back up at her. "Take one of me?" Sarah asked, practically bouncing in excitement.

"You shouldn't scare people like that..." Clementine said, pushing past Sarah to sit on the other girls bed. She turned to look out the window, staring at nothing particular in the sky and seeing Pete's mutilated foot in every cloud that past.

"Sorry... I just wanted to cheer you up..." Sarah said, clearly feeling hurt by Clementine's lack of interest.

"You surprise people like that and you're likely to get a bullet between your eyes in thanks..." Clementine said flatly, not bothering to turn back to the other girl. She heard a long and silent pause, where she assumed that Sarah was considering replying, before she heard the camera click again, and realized that she had just been taking another photo.

"Isn't this the best?" Sarah asked, waving a photo over Clementine's shoulder. Clementine turned quickly, throwing an annoyed glare at the other girl, wondering if she had listened to anything she had just said to her. Sarah took a step back, seeming uncertain for the first time. "What's wrong..?" She asked, looking behind herself as she wrapped her arms around her chest as if suddenly afraid. "Where's my dad?" Clementine sighed, watching the girl closely and trying to decide how best to phrase it.

"You should know what's going on..." She began, hesitating before saying too much to judge how Sarah would take the news. The other girl stared at her for a long moment, before she sighed and dropped her arms.

"My dad told you not to tell me didn't he?" She asked, although Clementine didn't know why because she had already known the answer.

"He didn't want me to worry you..." Clementine hedged, avoiding answering as best she could. "Okay, there's some things you need to know and basically, your dad doesn't want me to tell you. Did you never wonder why we never do the same chores or even share a room, though it would make the most sense?" Clementine asked, exasperated already.

"I..." Sarah ducked her head, clearly aware of the situation but unwilling to voice it.

"Your dad doesn't want me near you because I'll tell you what you need to know if you wanna actually survive in this world, rather than this lie of a normal life..." Clementine said slowly, gauging the other girls reactions as well as she could manage. "I'm sorry, but you need to consider whats gonna happen in your life, should anything happen to your dad." Sarah jerked her eyes up to meet Clementine's, wide and frightened and uncertain, but with a knowledge that Clementine was telling her the truth. "It wont be easy, but you need to learn to defend yourself. You don't get to be a kid anymore. You're not a boy. You're not a girl. You're just alive." Clementine said forcefully.

"I..." Sarah looked as if she was about to argue, but at the last moment changed her mind. Her shoulders slumped and she sighed in defeat. "Okay... I'm just alive."

"It's not as bad as you think..." Clementine said lightly, trying to make the other girl realize it wasn't the end of the world to just grow up a little. Besides, who was she going to impress by being such a blatant girl about everything? The high school hearth throb?

"..." Sarah looked away, clearly not so easily convinced. "What else?"

"You need to think about survival." Clementine said, trying to remember how Lee had explained it to her so long ago. "Your hair for instance. It could be grabbed by a walker and then you're done for. You need to keep it shorter..." Clementine said. Sarah glanced over, clearly eyeing her own short hairstyle. Clementine let her, keeping her body language open so the other girl would be more willing to trust her.

"Like yours..?" Sarah asked weakly. Clementine worked hard to keep herself from rolling her eyes. Why did the girl persist with asking questions she already knew the answer to?

"Yes, like mine." Clementine said, reaching up to gently toy with one of her pigtails. She noted that they were slightly longer then normal and she made a mental note to trim them again as soon as she got a chance. "But, you could cut it shorter if you didn't want the pigtails..." She added, glancing back to the other girl, but she found that Sarah was already shaking her head and as she smiled shyly.

"No, I like the pigtails. They're cute." She said. Clementine forced down the wave of pain that suddenly threatened to overwhelm her. Lee's comment on her cute new hairstyle still cut as fresh as any other of her memories. She was sure that if she wasn't so consumed with guilt, deserved though it was, she wouldn't feel so much raw pain whenever she thought of him.

"Cool." Clementine said, straining to force the words out through the clamp she felt around her throat. "We can match" She joked, and saw that Sarah smiled slightly wider, obviously liking the idea. She tucked the information away for later use.

"So... what's going on?" Sarah asked suddenly. "Where'd my dad go? Where've you been?" Clementine took a deep breath, and prepared herself for the worst.

"Pete got bit." She said slowly, letting the words sink in as she said them. Sarah froze, her expression changing from pleased to curious to horrified in swift succession. Sarah turned her back, clearly struggling with the information. "He's okay... Nick and I-" Clementine's throat caught on the words, the enormity of their actions hitting her all over again. She closed her eyes and forced the words out. "We took his foot off... It removed the bite, and when I left a few hours later, it seemed like it had worked..." She said quietly. Sarah didn't move for a long time, save for the regular jerk of her shoulders. Clementine was pleased she couldn't see the horror on the other girls face, sure it would have made her feel a thousand times worse than she already did.

"I'm sorry, I-" Sarah said, half turning back to her. "I just need to..." She suddenly dropped to the floor, wrapping her arms around her knees as she rocked back and forth and stared into the distance. Clementine allowed her a minute, before she frowned and crouched down beside her, hunkering down and resting her arms on her legs as she raised a brow at the other girl. Sarah met her eyes, and blushed in embarrassment, clearly understanding Clementine's silent message that this wasn't the way to solve her problems. "Wanna see what else I found..?" She asked, a shy smile curling her lips. Clementine smiled widely, pleased that the other girl had got over her drama so quickly. She nodded and got to her feet, turning to look out the window while she waited for Sarah to find whatever it was she wanted to show her.

Sarah rummaged under the bed for a short time, obviously having to dig whatever it was out as she had hidden it well from her father. Clementine frowned, wondering how he would react when he found out the things she had told Sarah so far, and planned to yet. There was no telling how long they had before Carlos and the others returned, so she could have given her an entire life lesson by the time they actually came back to the cabin. Eventually Sarah found what she was looking for. She stood, and Clementine felt uneasy at the sight of a gun in the other girls hand.

"Will you teach me how to use it..?" Sarah asked hopefully. "I couldn't find any bullets..." She added quickly, seeming shy about the fact. Clementine hesitated, on the one hand it would only be a good thing for Sarah to know how to defend herself, but then again, Sarah was a total air head and was probably more dangerous than most with a weapon.

"Okay..." Clementine finally relented, deciding survival was more important than her uncertainty about Sarah's commitment. "But its not a toy." She said more firmly, meeting Sarah's eyes to make sure she understood the importance of that fact.

"I know." Sarah said dutifully. She turned, and slowly held the gun up before her.

"First, remember, its  _just_  a thing." Clementine said, showing Sarah the best way to grip and hold the weapon.

"What does that mean..?" Sarah asked, as she squinted down the length of the gun.

"Uh, I... don't know." Clementine admitted, raising her eyebrows at the fact she never questioned it when Lee had said the same thing to her.

"I thought it'd be heavier." Sarah said, as if disappointed that she could easily lift it in one hand. "Okay, what do I do?" She asked, glancing at Clementine excitedly.

"The most important thing is, when you go to shoot," Clementine said, re-positioning Sarah's arms and showing her the best stance to fire from. "Take a breath before you pull the trigger." Sarah sucked in an enormous gulp of air, holding it as she took aim. Clementine narrowed her eyes and hoped that she had never embarrassed herself in front of Lee by doing that. "Not that big." She said flatly. Sarah's breath came whooshing out in a large gust, and Clementine closed her eyes at the strong smell of garlic. Clearly Rebecca had cooked the previous night, and she was suddenly glad to have missed it. Sarah slowly turned to the far wall, as if following a target.

"What should I shoot?" She asked, suddenly swinging the gun around to point at Clementine's face.

"Don't do that!" Clementine cried, ducking almost to the floor in her haste to get out of the line of fire.

"S-sorry..." Sarah stuttered, as Clementine rose to her feet, glaring at her furiously. She hung her head a moment, before turning to the window. "Maybe, I could practice outside..." She said, as she gazed through the window. "There's that tree..." She muttered thoughtfully, before apparently disregarding it by something else that caught her attention. "Hey, Luke's back!" She said excitedly, hurrying out the room to go and greet him. Clementine rushed to the window, but all she saw was a shadow approaching the cabin. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, an ominous feeling growing in her heart as she turned to the doorway that led to the hallway. Something about the situation didn't feel right, and she could feel it in her heart, that it wasn't Luke who Sarah had seen outside the cabin. She only hoped she got to Sarah before she did something stupid.


	9. A Disturbing Encounter

The house was silent around her. But unlike the past six weeks, the silence was not comforting. It was oppressive, dark and filled with ominous intent. Clementine sucked in a deep breath and willed herself to walk down the stairs. She took them slowly, trying to urge herself to go faster and reach Sarah before she got herself hurt, but try as she might she couldn't bring herself to go any faster. The edge of despair in the air around her made her hesitate, for fear of being overwhelmed by it. She paused, as a man walked past the lower window. She held her breath, as they slowly ambled past. She couldn't tell if it was because it was a walker, or because they were scoping the place out. She wasn't sure which thought terrified her the most.

As soon as the person was gone, she dashed down the rest of the stairs, avoiding the creaky step and jumping the last three, landing silently at the foot of the stairs. She glanced at the other window, and ducked down under the edge of the sofa, as footsteps first drew close, and then continued past the window. She hurriedly got up, and walked quickly to Sarah's side, as the other girl huddled herself to the wall, clearly terrified.

"That's not Luke..." She whispered, frantically glancing around as if to try and spot some way out. Clementine leaned into the hall slightly, glimpsing the shadow walk to the front door. There was no time to escape now. Sarah followed Clementine's gaze briefly and seemed to almost break down in fear. "Clem... I think I know him..!" She panicked. There came a knock on the door, and Sarah almost squealed in her panic. "He can't see me!" She whispered, though the sound seemed a thousand times louder in the ominously silent cabin. Clementine grabbed her by the shoulders and forced the other girl to meet her steely gaze.

"Sarah," she said firmly, "Go and find somewhere to hide."She then released the other girl. Sarah glanced from side to side quickly before looking back at Clementine uncertainly.

"Where?!" She cried. Clementine frowned, wondering if the girl needed her to tie her shoes for her while she apparently did everything else for her. She rolled her eyes and stepped into the hallway, ignoring Sarah's frantic whispered pleas for her to come back. The girl would either hide or not, but Clementine wasn't about to stand and waste anymore time on her stupidity now, she couldn't. Her heart raced, Lee screamed at her to run to safety in her mind, but to run now would only lead to being hunted, and she could not outrun this adult sized shadow. With a damp hand, she reached out to the door.

"Oh, uh..." The man stuttered, as she opened the door. She looked pointedly at the hand he had reached down to the door handle with, and he hastily withdrew it. "Hello there."

"Hello." Clementine said. The man stared at her a moment, as if expecting her to say more. Clementine raised a brow and the man coughed, before he began to speak again.

"Um, I'm uh, well, I'm actually you're neighbour." He said, and Clementine raised her other brow to join the other one.

"Is that so? Do you go around letting yourself into all your neighbours houses?" She asked, keeping herself wedged firmly in the open doorway so she hopefully blocked his view into the house. Though, as she was rather short, that was probably just wishful thinking. She hoped Sarah had figured out that she should go hide in the basement at least.

"Oh, well I, uh..."

"I'm sure you just thought there was nobody here." She said, forcing a false, but convincing grin onto her face. She waited until the man seemed to sigh in relief before she continued. "I'm sure the lights being on didn't tell you anything." She kept herself from laughing, as the man coughed uncomfortably, keeping her face a calm semblance of open friendship.

"Well, uh..." The man paused, clearly having to re-think his plans a little as Clementine continued to surprise him. "My family and I are set up a ways down-river. I'm... kinda surprised we haven't run into each other yet..." He said, gesturing out towards the river. Clementine quickly glanced over him, immediately locking her gaze onto the pistol in a holster at his hip. By the time the man looked back to her, she was looking the direction he had pointed, as if she were totally immersed in what he had been telling and showing her. "What's your name?" He asked suddenly.

"You know, being so far down river as you just pointed out, hardly makes us neighbours does it?" She asked instead, delaying answering him as long as possible. "I mean, you must have walked a good couple miles alone just to get out here..." The man shifted his weight slightly, clearly annoyed by her continued resistance to his efforts to charm her into believing his appearance to be a wonderful coincidence.

"Well, I..."

"Still, it's nice to meet you anyway. It's not like there's really many people gonna visit anymore!" Clementine pretended to joke. The man smiled winningly, and if Clementine didn't think he was an absolute creep, she might have been fooled by it. The man scratched at his ear, then let his hand trail down to rub at the stubble on his chin and throat.

"I uh, I didn't catch your name earlier..." He urged, in an awful attempt at nonchalance as he tried to steer the conversation how he wanted it to go again. Clementine grinned at him, making him wait for her reply. However the silent anger she caught building in both his cold, hard eyes and his posture, soon warned her against pushing him too far.

"That'd be cuz I didn't say," She joked lightly, even dropping him a wink. She tried to use the facade of humour to hide her fear, her uncertainty and her hesitancy. Telling a person your name, when you don't know them and don't particularly want to, was a bit like walking around entirely alone, with walkers surrounding you on all sides and only a narrow hope in hell you might not be noticed. To put it plainly, it was a dumb idea. But, she also didn't think that this man would buy anything but the truth about this. It wasn't always easy to tell a person's name right away, but it was generally easy to tell if they were comfortable telling it to you; which said more about your honesty than it was necessarily supposed to. "Clementine." She said slowly, her smile fading slightly as she finally caved in and answered him honestly. The man immediately smiled, clearly thinking he had won already.

"Clementine." He said, his eyes turning calculating. She didn't miss the way his eyes racked over her from head to toe and back again, but she hoped she at least hid her shiver of disgust. There was something about the way he looked at her, assessing her, that creeped her out worse then that time Duck had told her about what 'kissing' was. "Well, you look just like a Clementine." He said confidently. She felt torn, knowing she had made the right choice telling the truth, because he clearly would have known if she hadn't, but also because she felt weak for having told this stranger something so personal. She raised an eyebrow at him over his lame joke, but said nothing further, wondering if she could get away with slamming the door shut and locking it if she were fast enough. "You mind if I come in,  _Clementine_?" There was something about the way he said her name that made her feel dirty, like he was insinuating something she didn't understand by drawling out her name in such a way. She would have replied and told him that yes, she very much minded his barging in, but he was already pushing his way inside as if she were nothing but a small pebble in his way. "I've been out all morning, and this heat has got me cooked." He continued, looking around the hallway as he stood in the way of the door. Clementine might not be an adult yet, or rather, she guessed she was still a long way from being an adult and understanding the world the way adults seemed to, but she easily understood one thing; there was no question in what the man had asked. He was coming in regardless. Perhaps her only real chance of getting rid of him was to play along and hope he lost interest if she were so obviously open and inviting with him.

"Sure, come on in." She said, grinning widely as she took a very calculated step backwards, out of the mans immediate arm reach. Carver smiled at her warmly, and she returned the gesture as best she could. She watched him carefully, as he stepped closer to the wall, inspecting one of the fish ornaments that decorated it. Personally she thought they were ugly, fish belonged either in the river or on her plate.

"This is a nice place. Is there... anyone else around?" Clementine heard the eagerness in his voice, and it was with a sudden clarity that she understood; this man, was the man that had her group so worried. This was the elusive, never explained Carver. "You don't usually see cabins this big out here." The man continued, ignorant of Clementine's sudden epiphany. "Sure could pack a lot of folks in there..." He seemed to mutter to himself, as he looked down the hall. She hid her thoughts from her face, as he turned around to look down at her.

"Just me and my dad." Clementine said confidently. This man, Carver, was looking for a large group. Perhaps if he thought that she had a parent with her, he might leave rather than risk sticking around and potentially angering them. Carver grinned wickedly at her, and she guessed that he wasn't buying her story at all.

"Yeah?" He asked, as though almost genuinely interested. "And, what's his name..?" Clementine narrowed her eyes at his mocking tone, a sudden storm of fury burning in her veins.

"Lee." She said shortly, glaring at the older man fiercely.

"A strong name." He said slowly, grinning at her in a way that made her skin crawl, even through her fury. "I like him already." He made a show of looking around in the hallway. "Where is he?" He asked expectantly.

"He's..." Clementine hesitated, wondering what she could say. Upon seeing the gleam of triumph in the older mans eyes, she narrowed her eyes and finished with a pointed look at the door. "Out." She averted her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest and turning to stare disinterestedly at a small table lamp. Or at least, she hoped it looked like that, as she quickly scanned the room for any sign of Sarah.

"Well," said the man she assumed to be Carver, "I'll cut to the chase; I'm out looking for my people. Seven of them, to be exact." He continued, as he walked past her into the cabin, as if it were his own and she were a guest. Clementine followed him cautiously, her eyes quickly sweeping the room ahead of Carver and she felt relieved that she didn't spot Sarah hiding somewhere stupid, like behind the curtains. "They've been gone a long while and... I'm worried they might've gotten lost. Maybe you've seen them..." He said, suddenly swinging around to look at her. Clementine scratched her ear as she looked at him, trying to express her feigned innocence before she next spoke.

"That's a lot of people to lose..." She said, stalling for time while she tried to sift through her chaotic thoughts.

"Well sweetheart, maybe you can help me find them again." Carver said, clearly not impressed with her speaking before he had finished. "A couple o' farm boys and an old man..." Clementine was pleased to manage to keep a straight face, while trying hard not to laugh at his description of Luke and Nick, already knowing who they were, but her heart clenched at the thought of Pete, his suffering high in her thoughts. "Spanish guy, and his daughter. Quiet girl, bit taller than you." Carlos and Sarah, Clementine thought to herself, though she feigned a look of ignorance. "Big black guy, this big..." Carver said, blowing himself up. Clementine felt outraged by his insinuation about Alvin, but she schooled her face hard, and refused to show her temper through even a glare, forcing herself to remain neutral and calm. "And... a pretty little black lady." Something in Carver's eyes blazed fiercely, and Clementine knew if she told him nothing else, he desperately wanted her to tell him where Rebecca was. She waited a moment, screwing her face up in thought, before she looked up at him with a solemn expression that even reached her eyes.

"I... I saw them..." She said, falling over her words masterfully. Her lower lip wobbled and she bit it carefully, as false tears filled her eyes. She dipped her head, as she wrapped her arms around herself as if to ward off an awful memory. "They're dead..." She breathed, as if horrified to be speaking of it.

"You saw who?" Carver demanded, clearly panicked. "Where?!" Peeking up at him from under her ball cap, and she saw his restraint stretched to the limit. He wanted to grab her, shake her, force her to talk, but he was clenching his hands hard enough to be drawing blood from his own palms, while his eyes blazed furiously.

"Down..." She paused, biting her lip before she turned to look out the door. She gestured towards the river she had traveled to with Nick and Pete to check the fish nets, what seemed like a lifetime ago. "Down by the river the yesterday... Walkers got 'em..." She folded her arms around herself again, trying to make herself seem small and frightened. "I'm sorry," she whispered, staring up at him with what she hoped were wide and innocent, haunted eyes. Carver stared at her in horror for a moment, before something passed over him. A hardness crept into his eyes, as some cruel thought passed behind them. He chuckled darkly.

"The river..?" He asked quietly, shrugging her suggestion off. "Are you sure about that?"

"Pretty sure." She said flatly, irritated he was doubting her. But then she realized, if  _this_ was the Carver everybody feared, then perhaps Nick had been right yesterday; perhaps he had killed all those people at the river. She hid a shiver, and stared up at him, keeping her thoughts from her face and her fear packed tight in her heart. "You can follow the path straight there if you want... See for yourself." She offered, pointing out the front door.

"Well no offense," Said Carver, sounding particularly offensive, "But I would guess that wasn't them." The light in his eyes as he spoke confirmed Clementine's thoughts. This man had killed everyone she had seen at the river, and he didn't care at all. "The one's I'm looking for are very careful people." He said, leaning toward her as if sharing a great secret. Clementine had a sudden flash of memory, lying surrounded by them, as they discussed whether to shoot her.

"If you say so." She said flatly, refusing to allow her momentary distress show. Carver looked behind him, briefly scanning the room, before he turned to his left and opened the kitchen door. Clementine hurriedly looked around the living area, wondering where Sarah might be hiding and praying that she was somewhere sensible, like the basement. Carver proceeded into the kitchen as if it were his own, and she sighed to herself, knowing she had to follow. She sincerely disliked this man, and she wasn't sure how much of her story he was buying. She wished someone had told her more about him, but at the same time thanked them all for not telling her, it made her reactions to his name and presence more believable. She took a deep breath to clear her thoughts, and then walked bravely into the kitchen.

"It's a lot a plates for two people." Carver said, his tone friendly enough, though the insinuation was obvious. Clementine leaned against the counter as if she wasn't at all bothered by his presence in her home. "Looks like a tornado ran through here."

"Yeah well, I'm supposed to be doing the dishes." She said, glancing down guiltily, as if she were admitting to playing hooky from school. "My dad says everyday chores are as much a part of life as they always were, but... I still tend to do them only once or twice a week..." She said, glancing only briefly at him before looking at the floor again. She constantly bit her lip as if confessing a great sin. She glanced across at the opposite counter and her heart almost stopped.

"Just passin' through, or you been here awhile?" Carver asked, and she snapped her eyes over to him quickly, hoping he wouldn't notice the knife she had been staring at. It's gleaming blade was like a beacon to her, but she didn't dare draw his attention to it lest her chance of defense become his own weapon against her. "Hey listen kid, I hope you're not one of those nuts headin' up north, lookin' for Shangri-La." His sarcastic tone irritated her to no end, but she bit back her temper and kept her expression as neutral as she could manage. "Not sure why you would ever wanna leave after findin' a place like this..." He muttered, almost as an aside to himself.

"Just passing through." She bit out, and before she could stop herself she had continued. "Going north." She tried to tell herself it wasn't just to annoy him, but she knew she was lying to herself. His comments about it annoyed her and she had wanted to lash back out at this arrogant man who had barged into someone else's home.

"Whole lotta people headed that way lately," Carver said, sounding disappointed. "Me? I don't get it. There's just as much nothin' up there as there is down here. And I can't stand that Yankee weather."

"The cold slows them down." Clementine said flatly, her irritation growing. She glanced again to the knife, but knew it would be inviting trouble to lunge for it.

"Well, that's not worth the trade in  _my_  opinion." He said. Clementine fought hard not to roll her eyes and scoff. As if she cared what his opinion was either way. She glanced briefly to the opposite counter again, and was dismayed when Carver moved towards it. She jumped as he picked up the knife and dragged it through the air close to her. "Where does this go?" He asked, as though simply curious. The light behind his eyes told her that the wrong answer could easily cost her life, and Clementine fought hard to keep her fear hidden.

"O-over there..." She said, pointing to a draw some distance away from her. Carver walked over and placed the knife inside the drawer, shutting it away from them both. He turned and smiled at her, then walked straight past her as if it were his own home, and not someone else's. She followed quickly in his footsteps. As they entered the living room, she glanced around and was pleased she couldn't see Sarah anywhere stupid like behind the curtains.

"Well, its a real nice place!" Carver said, as if surprised by this fact. "Kinda cozy..." Clementine scratched at her neck, wishing she could think of a way to get rid of this terrifying man before the others returned. As much as she really wanted to be comforted by the knowledge they were all alright, especially Nick and Pete... and, Luke... she knew that them meeting with Carver would have explosive consequences. She followed Carver deeper into the room and her heart stopped, as he caught sight of something which grabbed his attention.

"I knew a man that always wore shirts like this... Doctor." He said quietly, walking to the sofa and gently touching one of Carlos shirts which he had left out. "Real smug son of a bitch. But a smart man. I miss him." Carver added, though he didn't sound convincing in the least.

"What happened to him?" Clementine asked, hoping she sounded genuinely curious.

"Lets just say we had our differences." Carver said darkly, turning towards her. She almost balked at the expression on his face, dark and furious. She turned away and hoped she hadn't let him see any of her thoughts. "Sooner or later, people close to you will find a reason to cross you. Happens every time." Clementine kept her eyes averted and tried to tell herself she didn't understand what he meant, but as a flash of her first meeting with these people crossed her eyes, she knew that she did.

"Well well, whites in trouble." He said, drawing her gaze to where his eyes had settled on a chess board. "Three moves away from checkmate." Clementine stared at him, having no idea how to play chess made it hard to think of anything convincing to say. A creaking board from above them made her heart leap into her throat, and she cursed Sarah for a fool in her head. "What was that?!" Carver said, spinning around quickly. Clementine stared at him wide eyed, unable to think of anything to say. She shrugged her shoulders, and as he stormed past her, she knew she had failed to distract him. He turned and stared up the stairs, then turned furious eyes to her. "I thought you said nobody's here." He accused, radiating a tense anger that he barely contained. His eyes blazed at her, as she walked towards him.

"I didn't hear anything." She said blandly, trying to keep her face void of her churning emotions. She could tell he had seen something, from the triumphant glee deep in his eyes, but still she tried to make it seem like he was imagining things. Carver stared at her a moment longer, before he pulled his gun from his holster, and began to slowly walk up the stairs. Clementine sucked in a deep breath and briefly lost control of her expression, her panic widening her eyes as she imagined Sarah getting herself shot. She hurriedly replaced her stoic mask, and followed Carver up the stairs. Carver headed straight to Sarah's room, and Clementine cursed the other girl for a fool, an empty headed fool. If they both survived this, she was going to have serious words with her. While Carver marched in with his gun raised, expecting to find some hidden adult about to attack, Clementine quickly scanned for hiding places, and spotted Sarah on her second sweep of the room. Beneath the bed. She closed her eyes and tried to hide her fury, grimacing at the idiocy of trapping herself under a bed with no means of escape.

"I told you." She said loudly, opening her eyes to glare at Carver with double the furious intensity she had previously bestowed upon him. She folded her arms over her chest as he turned to look at her with mild surprise. "Nobody's here."

"Seems that way..." Carver muttered reluctantly, sheathing his gun. Clementine turned to stare out the window, hoping she appeared aloof and unconcerned by his barging through her house. "Didn't mean to be rude. Couldn't just leave you here with a good conscience if someone was pokin' around, right?" Clementine fought her first instinct to scoff at him, but couldn't help herself from glaring pointedly at him.

"Sure..." She said flatly. Because of course, that wasn't exactly what he himself was doing. She managed to avoid rolling her eyes at him, but it was a close call she knew. Carver made to walk towards her, and she thought perhaps he would finally leave, when he suddenly stopped, his eyes glued to the floor. He bent down slowly, and Clementine caught Sarah in the corner of her eyes, shifting further under the bed, as Carver picked up a small square from the floor. Her heart sank as he smiled wickedly at her, holding up a picture she knew only too well.

"Who's this?" He asked slowly, clearly already knowing the answer. Clementine shook her head, squinting at the photo Sarah had taken of herself.

"Someone who, used to live here maybe...? My dad and I didn't explore too much, we sleep in the living room... it doesn't seem right to invade someone else's house completely..." She said, hoping that she didn't sound so hopelessly guilty in Carver's ears as she did in her own. He stared at her a long moment, before his grin seemed to grow, and he stowed the photo away in his back pocket.

"Is that so..?" He said, a knowing gleam in his eyes. "Well, I commend your devotion to those who would probably never show the same consideration for yourself... or your dad." He said, seeming to laugh at her with his words. Clementine shifted uncomfortably. His eyes hardened, and she felt her own expression empty itself as she glared back. "You have no idea who these people are, do you?" He asked quietly. His change of tactic unnerved her, but she didn't let it show. Just because he was giving up the game, didn't mean she would.

"What people?" She asked, cocking her head curiously.

"Let me ask you this;" He said, ignoring her completely. "When you met 'em, how much did they trust you?" Clementine bit her tongue and remained silent, refusing to fall into his trap. But even her lack of response told him more than she wanted it to, for he grinned wickedly at her. He chuckled at her, and ran his eyes over her, making her skin crawl for reasons she didn't understand. He glanced around before looking back to her. "Well! I think I've troubled you long enough. I can let myself out." He said, and she felt a prickle of unease at his sudden willingness to leave. She almost called out to him, tempted to tell him to never return, but she held her tongue, instead watching as he walked down the stairs.

"You have a real good day now." He said, staring up at her as he walked through the living area, before he disappeared from her view entirely. She held her breath until she heard the door shut behind him, and his footsteps continue away from the house, before her breath left her in an explosive gasp of fear, laughter and shock. Her hands trembled as she leaned against the door frame and closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing heart. She heard movement in the room behind her, and she wearily opened her eyes, turning to watch Sarah scramble out from beneath the bed.

"Where is he?" She asked fearfully.

"He's gone." Clementine replied, her voice devoid of emotion after having been through such a stressful encounter.

"What if he comes back?" Sarah asked, clearly terrified. Clementine turned to meet the other girls stare, openly obvious in her dependency upon Clementine for answers and expecting to be mollycoddled like her father would. Clementine had no answer for her, only a weary tiredness that invaded her very bones. She stared at Sarah a long time, before she simply walked out the room and went downstairs, where she flopped onto the sofa and hoped that the others would return soon. Several moments passed, where she merely lay back and wait, trying to clear her mind of anything but the thought of the others returning. She heard Sarah coming down the stairs, and she groaned internally, as she grudgingly shifted to make room for the other girl. They sat side by side, looking at the random things left out by their group. The chess board, Carlos shirt, even the odd sweet wrapper or a missing shoe. Clementine felt anger well up in her, how could she just sit and wait while such a threat loomed over them? She knew how to survive outside, and she knew of at least one weapon they could take with them.

"We should find the others." She said, her decision made. She got up and walked towards the kitchen.

"We can't go outside!" Sarah squeaked, shock making her jump to her feet.

"We can't stay here either!" Clementine almost yelled, turning back to the other girl, who stared at her in disbelief. "He  _knows_ you're all here, and he will be back, probably with help. We can't just wait here, defenseless, and hope the others come back before we get outnumbered by adults. I can keep us safe and get us back to the group." She said, hoping she sounded more confident than she really felt about the last part. Sarah opened her mouth to protest, but Clementine turned back to the kitchen and walked through the door, not wanting to hear anything more about it all. She stopped dead in the doorway, as the back door opened.

"Clementine!" Her eyes filled with un-shed tears of frustration, of fear and of relief. The obvious concern and relief in her name alone was enough to undo all her careful restraint with her emotions and she rushed forward, throwing her arms around Luke's waist. She cried into his jumper, letting go of all her fear and the tension she had carried since Carver's arrival. And if he minded, he never said a thing. But he held her tighter, and pulled her closer. Holding her until she was ready to fight some more, in a world where the fight to survive was never ending.


	10. On The Road Again

Clementine could barely catch her breath, as her heart hammered erratically in her chest. The traumatic and tense experience of meeting Carver had drained her emotionally, and there was nothing she could do to stem the tide of frustrated and relieved tears that began to flow. Luke's concerned face as he walked through the door, and his immense relief upon seeing her, was enough to break through the high walls she built around her feelings that morning, and as his arms settled around her, she wept into the front of his jumper with uncontrollable abandon. She reached up and grabbed handfuls of his jumper beside her face, holding him tight against her as if afraid he might disappear. The reassuring smell of all things Luke surrounded her and she was vaguely aware of concerned voices all around them, but she could hear nothing over the words that were whispered between her and Luke amid her ragged gulps for air.

"Please don't leave me again." She begged as quietly as she could, trying to at least hold on to some shred of her dignity. The others might be witness to her breakdown, but she hoped to at least keep them from hearing her fearful pleas. As much as she had wanted to keep herself isolated from these people, Luke had managed to worm his way through her defenses, and if she had lost him, she knew her meltdown would be so much worse now. She knew that wherever these people led him, she would gladly follow to stay with him. She hoped he never knew how truly important his presence in her life was to her.

"It's okay, I gotcha..." He murmured, gently rubbing her back. "I ain't goin' nowhere Clem, don't worry. I promise." Her heart felt lighter, as his calm voice and kind words a balm which soothed her frayed nerves.

"..." She glanced up at his kind, warm eyes and felt her cheeks warm slightly, before she hurriedly looked away. "Sorry about your favorite jumper..." She muttered. She looked up as he eased her away from him, gently brushing her tears away with his finger as an amused chuckle erupted from deep in his chest.

"I guess its just lucky you happen to be my favorite Cookie," He joked. Clementine looked up and met his eyes, which were flooded with the clear warm relief that she was safe and standing before him. She rested her cheek against his torso once more and squeezed him gently, feeling awkward that her cheeks felt so oddly warm at both his soft tone and the kindness in his expression as he gazed at her. She even let the use of his pet name slide, so focused on the strangeness of her bodies confusing reaction. He chuckled lowly and she raised her head and moved away, feeling awkward and shy for reasons she couldn't decipher. If Luke noticed he said nothing, and she was grateful for it, though as his face grew more serious, she guessed it could also just be that he was distracted.

"You were with Nick and Pete, right?" Luke asked, and Clementine felt her heart constrict at the mention of the two men she had left behind. She hoped they were ok. "We gotta go find 'em." Clementine bit her lip and looked away, unsure of whether he had been told about what had happened, or whether she would have to do fill him in herself. Luke's hand settled on her shoulder, and she reluctantly peeked up at him. "You might well have saved his life Clementine..." He added, quietly enough for the others not to have heard him.

"Doesn't mean I feel any less responsible for maiming him Luke." She said, shrugging her shoulders noncommittally. He looked saddened by her words, but before he could counter her opinion they were interrupted by Sarah's voice cutting through the room.

"A man was here." She said, and Clementine noticed  _all_ the adults were suddenly om high alert.

" _What?!"_ Carlos demanded.

"What did she say?!" Rebecca cried, clearly unsettled.

"Someone came to the cabin," Sarah said, ducking her head submissively under Rebecca and Carlos' combined glares.

" _What?!"_ Rebecca demanded, and Clementine fought off a smile at the thought that the woman was parroting Carlos' original reaction.

"Clementine talked to him." Her amusement died abruptly, as Sarah dropped her right in the cowpat. She tried her best to appear unaffected by Sarah's revelation that she had spoken with a stranger, but when she glanced up at Luke, she could see the mix of anger, fear, concern and hope in his eyes. She suspected his hope, was that it was anyone but Carver. She was upset to know she would destroy that hope.

"-just, opened the door for him?!" Rebecca accused, though Clementine had missed the start of her question as she had been paying more attention to Luke and the way his jaw had tightened with his various emotions.

"Calm down, Rebecca." Luke said stiffly, turning towards her. Clementine took a deep breath and told herself to get a grip, as she mentally shook herself and prepared for a fight with the older woman and Carlos. Most others generally knew she wasn't a threat to them, but Carlos and Rebecca just couldn't warm to her. Carlos because he knew Clementine was right about his abuse of his daughter by neglecting to teach her the life skills she needed to live without him, and Rebecca because; well, she wasn't entirely certain about Rebecca really, but she guessed it was about the baby she was trying to hide from everyone.

"Calm down?!" Rebecca cried, turning her furious gaze to Luke, "I  _am_ calm!  _You_ calm down!" Clementine rolled her eyes, because  _that_ had been a calm and rational response.

"He was coming in either way." She said, folding her arms over her chest. An action to defend herself, show she wasn't afraid of them, and hold her aching heart in her chest, as it felt like it could crumble out of her any moment. Too much had happened in the past thirty hours than she could comfortably cope with, and the stress was making her feel strange, like her weird reactions to Luke when he first returned. "He was  _literally_ reaching for the doorknob, had I of locked the door then, he would have just come in guns blazing; better to try and throw him off with a civil reaction." She added, and she was pleased to note both Alvin and Luke were hiding grins from her determined stance.

"I told you  _not_  to open the door for anyone." Carlos said, clearly exasperated with her.

"And  _I,_ ignored you." Clementine replied sarcastically. Carlos turned an odd shade of red, and Clementine hastily decided not to goad the man quite so much. "To protect your daughter." She added reluctantly, though her words had the desired effect. Carlos seemed to immediately cool off, instead the colour seemed to rapidly drain from his face, as his eyes widened in fear.

"Did he say his name?" He asked. When she didn't immediately answer, he took a menacing step towards her. "Did he say what his name was?!" He demanded. Clementine took an instinctive step backwards as she shook her head.

"I didn't ask his name!" She cried, which she immediately decided was a bad thing to say, as Rebecca started shouting.

"You didn't ask his name?!" She screamed, clearly furious. "How could you not ask his name?!"

"He had a gun, I'm a twelve year old girl; you tell me you'd have done different in my shoes." Clementine said dispassionately. Rebecca seemed to deflate a little at that, and Alvin settled his hand on her arm, which she immediately began to gently rub. Clementine would have smiled at them, had she not been so irritated.

"I thought you were eleven?" Luke muttered quietly, taking advantage of the lull in the immediate conversation while everyone caught their tempers. Clementine glanced up to see his brow was furrowed, genuine curiosity and a tiny almost hidden hurt in his eyes. She sighed and shook her head minutely.

"I turned twelve end of last summer." She admitted reluctantly. Omid had been alive. Christa's baby had been alive. Christa had been a different person. She shut her eyes, closing out the past. When she reopened her eyes, she met Luke's gaze easily. "It's not a time of year I like much anymore..." She said quietly. "For a lot of reasons. I spent a few years with Christa after..." She hesitated, but Luke nodded in understanding, knowing from their occasional talks at night after her nightmares that Omid had died. "So, I'm kinda twelve and a half, if you really wanna know. Age just never really came up; I'm sorry. I wasn't keeping it from you or something." She needed Luke to not think badly of her, it was hurtful to see him looking at her like that. Like he was seeing her for the first time. She hadn't lied, it was just something that had never really come up; it wasn't even something she thought about anymore, with the world all crazified as it was. Some of her unease and panic must have shown in her eyes, for Luke gently patted her shoulder and smiled, erasing any of her worries his seeing her differently. A weight slipped from her heart which she hadn't known had been gently crushing it, and she breathed easier knowing their easy friendship remained.

"Look, Clem..." Clementine rolled her eyes, it figured it would be Carlos next latched onto her old nickname. She frowned at him as he rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "Just, tell us what he looked like." He eventually finished. Clementine thought for awhile, squinting her eyes as she tried to remember how Carver had looked.

"He... had short hair." She began, gesturing with her hands to the sort of length she remembered Carver's hair to be. "He had a grey mustache, and stubble. Big nose... Deep gravelly, scratchy kinda voice..." She thought some more and decided there was just one more thing to add to her description. "Smug. Really, like, uber smug. Like he knew everything already, but just wanted to hear me tell him he was right."

"Uber?" Luke said, watching her with laughter in his eyes. His warmth had returned, and she was pleased and frustrated by the confusing way her body was obviously pleased by that. "Such an old persons word." He joked, winking at her. She grinned and elbowed him playfully.

"You'd know; its your word not mine, I just stole it for emphasis." She said, to which he groaned and rolled his eyes. Clementine grinned, enjoying his efforts to stop her from being caught up in the melancholy and fear of the other adults. She could tell he was nervous too, but he was trying to keep her mood up, despite the fact she noticed the other adults moods were all sinking.

"He talked about you, dad." Sarah whispered, as the other adults all shared knowing, and disappointed looks with each other. Carlos turned away from Sarah and scratched his jaw, his thoughts clearly turning sinister as his face darkened. "You're not gonna hurt anyone, are you?!" She pleaded desperately, though Carlos made no move to reply.

"Of course he won't, Sarah." Clementine looked back at Luke, who was glaring at Carlos meaningfully. The 'good' doctor had the grace to look bashful, but still did not speak. "All right, your dads the nicest man I know-" Clementine patted her chest heavily, as a loud cough escaped her at Luke's description. He sent her a withering look, but she noticed his lips curled slightly as he continued to reassure Sarah. "Which is why, he's not gonna do anything crazy or...  _not nice_." Luke narrowed his eyes at Carlos, and Clementine couldn't even bring herself to giggle or tease his lame ending. The fact he had to say it meant that at some point, Carlos had done something very not nice indeed. Clementine shivered at the thought, as Carlos finally met Luke's eyes, although only briefly as he turned to his daughter. "Right?"

"You know these are  _bad_ people sweetie..." Carlos said to Sarah, holding her shoulder gently. Clementine fought of a wave of nausea at the endearment but wisely chose to keep her opinions on the mans sickening display to herself. "They will do and say anything to hurt us." He said, trying to make his daughter understand the danger, before the whole room lapsed into thoughtful silence.

"All right..." Luke said suddenly, turning to Clementine. His expression was of grim determination, and she desperately hoped he wasn't about to do what she thought he was. "What do you think?" He asked her, and she hoped he could see the flat glare she sent him so he knew how very unimpressed she was that he was asking a twelve year old girl to make an informed decision on a man whom they had all deemed her unworthy to be actually warned about. "Did it seem like he'd be coming back?" Luke's expression didn't change, and Clementine sighed, realizing this was the moment that mattered.

"Look, you guys know this Carver guy; I don't." She started, and when Rebecca gasped she threw her a withering glare. "Oh please, you guys talk about him all the time! Ok, so you never bothered to tell me he's some psycho with a huge gun who likes to torment little girls and has obviously got some serious domination issues, but hey; I can do the math. Creepy strange guy plus Carver guy you all fear equals; ding ding ding, creepy strange Carver guy." She glanced at Luke when he finally broke his serious expression, silently laughing behind his hand at her comical rant. She narrowed her eyes at him briefly, before looking at the rest of the group. "You tell me; is he the kind of guy to come back?"

"Clementine said we couldn't stay here," Sarah said suddenly, turning to her father, "she was just about to lead me to you." Carlos looked far less furious than Clementine thought he would have by such an admission. She assumed he was either so mad it didn't show, or was torn between wanting his daughter safe in the cabin or away in case Carver  _did_ return.

"Guess that settles it then." Luke joked semi-seriously. Clementine elbowed him in the ribs, and pretended not to notice when he mimed an 'ow' at her whilst he rubbed at his offended ribs.

"He... he saw picture of me..." Sarah admitted.

"What were you doing taking pictures?!" Carlos roared, turning to his daughter with all the fury Clementine had expected to be unleashed on her. Sarah cowered before her fathers temper, and Clementine acted before thinking.

"I took it." She said, cursing herself for acting so quickly. Carlos turned his gaze to her, burning with fury at such foolish behavior. Seeing Sarah so frightened, deserved though his fury might be, made her want to at least spare the girl such fear. Disciplining your child was one thing; scaring them was another, and Carlos had been scaring his daughter. "You told me to distract her, that was one way to do it."

"No, Clementine is being a good friend and taking the blame," Sarah said quickly, flashing her a grateful smile. Clementine was torn between feeling irritation at being shown up as a liar, and being impressed that the girl was for once taking a stand.

"Carlos." Luke said sternly.

"What?" Carlos spat, turning to the other man.

"You need to calm down, all right? You're scaring your daughter." Clementine glanced up, pleased that he had seen it too. She felt the warmth in her cheeks again, and quickly looked away when he glanced down at her. Carlos took a deep breath and visibly tried to calm himself. After a long pause, he finally let his breath go and his shoulders slumped, as he accepted the obvious truth.

"He was scouting." He said disgustedly. "We got lucky. He wasn't expecting to find us. Clementine must have surprised him. If she hadn't been here..." Carlos trailed off, resting his hand gently on Sarah's shoulder as the group all considered the very real possibility that Sarah wouldn't have been here when they returned. Five sets of eyes turned to her, each holding different emotions as they examined her. Clementine turned her eyes to her shoes, not wanting to see the fear, the gratitude, the suspicion, the concern or even the pride, which was from Luke. he didn't want their thanks, or anything else other than their groups safety. "Well, he was too smart to stick around... But, he'll be back with the rest. We don't have much time." He said, as Alvin and Rebecca came over to join them from the other side of the kitchen.

"He's right." Luke said with a sigh. He ran a hand through his hair distractedly and then folded his arms over his chest. "Everyone pack up, we're movin' out." Alvin stormed past Luke, his expression dark. Clementine watched him curiously from the corner of her eye, not wanting anyone to notice the concern she felt for the man. He had shown her extra kindness when it wasn't expected of him, getting her a juice box when she had only asked for a bandage. She hoped he was alright.

"Alvin, wait!" Rebecca called, hurrying after her husband. The kitchen door swung shut on silent hinges after they left, and Clementine turned to Luke expectantly, but it was Carlos spoke first.

"We have to leave now sweetie, before he comes back with more guys... But it's gonna be ok..." Carlos said softly to Sarah, kneeling before her. Sarah hung her head a moment, before she looked back up at her father.

"Dad, I'm not a little girl anymore." Clementine felt her mouth fall open as Sarah spoke up to her father. Sure, the girl didn't exactly sound too sure of herself, but it was a start. "You have to stop treating me like I am. I'm alive. Just alive." Sarah said, glancing at Clementine as if for confirmation she had said the right thing. Clementine hastily snapped her mouth shut and nodded weakly, though she was mentally swearing like Kenny would have. She winced at the comparison, perhaps she wasn't quite that bad. Carlos glared at her, as if already knowing this was her fault. She cleared her throat and tried to ignore the queasy feeling where the bottom of her stomach had just disappeared.

"So, why did you leave his camp..?" She asked, trying to change the focus from herself. Carlos seemed to fight with his temper a moment, before he apparently succeeded in calming himself.

"Because we had to." He said darkly. Carlos walked towards her, and Clementine had to forcefully glue her feet to the ground so she wouldn't take a step back, refusing to let him intimidate her. "Clem, I don't what he told you; but William Carver is a  _dangerous_  man." Clementine couldn't help the eye roll, or if she could she didn't. She also folded her arms and raised a brow, as if to emphasize that she had figured that much out for herself. "He is the leader of a camp, not far from here, and he's very smart. We were... lucky to escape." Carlos continued, undaunted by her attitude. "Look, I'm sorry to involve you, but now that he's seen you, you'll be safer with us. We have to leave."

"Was that supposed to convince me to go with you?" Clementine asked quietly cocking her head to the side curiously. Carlos seemed surprised she was fighting his offer, though it was more of an order. She was irritated he had decided for her, but also that he presumed she would be safer with him; the doctor who had locked an injured child in a shed.

"Clementine!" Luke's rebuke made her cheeks warm again, but she stared at Carlos instead. The older man merely shook his head and waved Sarah ahead of him, presumably giving up on her and going to pack his and his daughters things. When he and Sarah were gone, Clementine was left alone with Luke. She played with the hem of her t-shirt, ostensibly trying to avoid meeting his gaze.

"What? I said that first night I thought I should move on; this seems a good time to do so!" She burst, unable to take the strained silence any longer, she looked up and met Luke's reproachful stare, and immediately sighed, knowing he didn't believe her anymore than she did. "I'm scared of that man." She admitted quietly.

"So are we." Luke replied. Clementine felt his hand on her shoulder, steering her to the kitchen cupboards, where he released her. "Come on, we're gonna be travelling awhile, we need to pack all the food we can and get going, fast." Clementine nodded glumly, opening a cupboard mechanically and beginning to collect all the foods within on the counter. "Hey," Luke said softly, making her pause in her task as she looked over to where he was emptying his own higher cupboard of food. "I won't let him hurt you, ya know that, right?" Clementine nodded, unable to give voice to the overwhelming surge of relief, gratitude and warmth that his words instilled in her. She smiled a thin, tight smile, and returned to her task. Soon after, she heard him begin collecting food again too. Once all the lower cupboards were emptied, she stopped, and turned to Luke with a thoughtful expression which made him stop what he was doing.

"You know, there's really something else we should do too..." She said slowly, hastily thinking out her plan. She could tell Luke wanted to know, but was waiting patiently for her to finish collecting her thoughts. She smiled wickedly and wiggled her brows. "How bad do you wanna annoy Carver?" She asked. Luke's slow grin was all the answer she needed, before she launched into telling him the details of her plan. Within ten minutes, they had cleared the remaining cupboards and the fridge of everything they could ostensibly carry, without it going bad immediately. Luke and Clementine hurried to check on the others, before grabbing the few personal effects they were able to take with them. She headed to the room she had both stolen and shared with Luke, and dug out her pistol, checking that it was loaded, but that the safety was on, as she stashed it down the back of her trousers. She shrugged on her backpack, looked fondly around the room a final time, and then headed out to wait for the others.

"Okay, good." Luke's voice carried to her from the kitchen, and she hurried through the door to find the others all assembled and waiting for her. She noted only a few bags with them, all travelling light save for the food they would carry between them. "So, I know we're all eager to be away from here; but Clementine made a very valid point earlier and I think you guys should hear about it." Clementine felt her cheeks warm as all eyes turned to her, some briefly, some angrily and some just curiously, but she stubbornly stared at the floor, cursing Luke for mentioning her at all. She vowed a bug-pillowed vengeance. "So, we're all ready to rush out here and go get Pete and Nick, but if we all travel together, then we're gonna be leavin' one huge ass trail for Carver and his cronies to follow. The plan is, that we can all leave via different paths, stamp your feet, tear your clothes, whatever you have to do to make a visible trail. Yes, I know," he added, foreseeing the objections already arising in both Carlos and Rebecca. He raised his hands, palm out towards them to placate them. "It will make it seem too obvious; but the fact is, Carver doesn't know where we're going. He got lucky today, finding this place... But so did we, because we had Clementine; fearless defender against strange, armed men who are twice her size." He grinned briefly at her, and despite a few murmurs of discontent, there were no objections to the plan. Luke met every pair of eyes, Clementine's being last. His smile widened as he opened the back door, and led everybody outside.

"Okay, groups of two; Alvin and Rebecca, Carlos and Sarah, Me with Clementine. Rebecca and Alvin; head to the garden, pick  _everything_ you can. Carlos and Sarah; set obvious trails in any and every direction you can over the east side of the cabin. Lead them in a circle back to the cabin if you like, or to the river, just make it quick. Clementine and I will do the same on the opposite side of the house; everyone meet back here in twenty minutes so we can go get the others." Clementine smiled at the authority in Luke's voice and expression. He was a natural born leader, or, more likely given Nick's earlier story about their business together; a natural born  _bullshitter._ She grinned as she cocked his brow at her, shaking her head as everybody set off in their various directions.

Luke and Clementine worked well together, they broke branches so it would be obvious people had passed, and seemingly in a hurry. They tore small swatches of fabric and artfully snagged them to make it seem like clothing had torn on sharp thorns and brambles, sometimes adding extra wayward strands of thread to add to the effect. They ran, then fell heavily to the ground, leaving both hand and footprints, plus the occasional full body scuff on the ground where the mud was slightly wetter, making it easier to see. Clementine actually found it a little fun, and from Luke's easy laughter, she guessed he did too, though under the severe circumstances, neither would admit to it. When they finally felt satisfied that there were enough trails leading between the cabin, the river and generally in circles between the two, they headed back to meet the others.

"You need a bath young lady, you're filthy." Luke said, gently swatting her hat lower on her head.

"Hey, watch the hat dude," Clementine scolded, her eyes filled with laughter as she righted her cap and looked up at him. He seemed torn between amusement and concern, and she knew that despite their enjoyment of laying the false trails, he was worried that Carver wouldn't fall for it. "You're pretty dirty yourself ya know, old man." She added, eyeing his muddy jumper.

"... did you just call me a dirty old man?" Luke asked, his amusement winning out as he tried not to laugh.

"Why not? You called me a filthy young 'lady'." Clementine joked. Luke's cheeks turned red as he looked away and laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck roughly.

"Well uh, that is, I mean... It's just that..." Clementine watched him stutter for awhile before she rolled her eyes, wondering if he would ever spit it out. Luke cleared his throat again, loudly, and decided not to continue, so Clementine just shrugged and grinned, which seemed to make his cheeks turn even redder. She thought it made him look cute. They emerged back in front of the cabin, where the others stood waiting for them, looking nervous and unsettled. Clementine led them to the area she had exited the woods that morning. She took a deep breath before marching in determinedly, not waiting to give her mind a chance to make her hesitate. She wondered if Pete had survived, if Nick was alright, whether he had had to... She forced herself to think of other things. Luke walked beside her for a while, the groups silence companionable enough as they walked through the woods. He gently squeezed her shoulder some time later, drawing her attention from her inner thoughts and worst imaginings.

"You said it was just up here..?" He asked, nodding towards a path a moderate distance ahead of them. Clementine nodded, feeling dazed that she had been daydreaming, or perhaps nightmaring, while she walked. Luke smiled tightly and lengthened his stride, walking off ahead of her easily.

"Yeah, just a little ways..." She muttered, though he was too far ahead to hear her by then. She was about to hurry herself and catch up, when Rebecca's voice sounded from just behind her.

"Hey, Clem..." Clementine rolled her eyes, thinking it really was inevitable that everyone now use her old nickname. It didn't hurt so much as it had yesterday though, and she wasn't sure if it was because she was used to it now, or because she had just been through too much to care right now. "I'm sorry, if I gave you some shit back there..." Rebecca hedged. Clementine threw her a sideways deadpan glare, to which Rebecca chuckled lightly before she continued. "Okay, so maybe there's no 'if'... I'm just, a little on edge... I still don't like what you did. Sneaking aroun' on us and, taking advantage of my husband..." She said, glaring meaningfully at the young girl. Clementine said nothing and met her glare dispassionately. She'd barely done anything to Alvin really, only said he was nice. Which he was. "But, I know you were in a tough spot..." The older woman conceded. Clementine was quiet for a long moment, before she looked back at the path ahead of her.

"I didn't like  _doing_ those things either." Clementine said quietly, though she could tell Rebecca heard her. "But I had no choice. I'd have done the same if it were one of you." Rebecca seemed surprised by the revelation, but Clementine didn't give her a chance to comment as she continued. "I still would. Sometimes, we just have to do what we can; and live with the consequences." Rebecca watched the path for awhile, as they fell into a companionable silence. Clementine was surprised to realize that this was a; the first time she and Rebecca had been civil to each other in an actual conversation and b; the first time Rebecca had looked at her like she was something other than a threat. Like she was actually a part of her group. She felt incredibly childish for the small spot of hope that bloomed in her heart that she might be right.

"So..." Clementine began, wanting to speak to the woman more now that she wasn't screaming at her. "Why is Carver after you?" She asked quietly.

"After  _me?!"_ Rebecca squawked, surprise and panic in her eyes as she glanced at the younger girl. Clementine frowned at her, glancing around them, but was pleased to see that nobody had noticed the older woman's outburst. "Oh, you mean... us?" Rebecca said, sounding relieved. Clementine nodded slowly, though she was beginning to think maybe she understood why Carver had been most interested in Rebecca after all. She glanced at Rebecca's stomach, still not showing the more obvious signs of pregnancy, though it wouldn't be long now before she couldn't hide it. "It's a long story. He... he has a hard time letting go." Rebecca said reluctantly, unconsciously running a gentle hand over her stomach. Clementine quickly looked back at the path, pretending she hadn't just seen confirmation of her fears. "I know you did your best back there." Clementine looked up suddenly, surprised by the warmth in the older woman's voice. "You know, none of us would make it one our own..."

"I did." Clementine said quietly, not meeting the other woman's eyes. It wasn't something she was proud of, or even liked to think of if she could avoid it, but Rebecca was clearly worried and Clementine wanted her to realize that if she, a lone child, could survive, then Rebecca certainly could too. Rebecca smiled thinly, but Clementine could still see the indecision and fears in the other woman's eyes. She opened her mouth to say something further, but was distracted a path opened out into a clearing beside them. She closed her mouth as it turned dry, her breaths coming faster as panic swelled in her heart. Luke up behind her, having waited for her to catch up. Upon hearing her rapid breathing, he settled a hand on her shoulder, calming her without the need for words.

"That's it... That's where we were..." She whispered, unable to find her voice through her fears over Pete and Nick's health. They stared at the scene for a moment, though it felt like a lifetime. Three walkers were in front of the shack, in which she knew, or rather she  _hoped_ , that Pete and Nick were hiding inside of. She took a deep breath and walked forward, drawing the hammer from the old shed she had been locked in from her backpack. Luke charged beside her, his machete already in his hand. He raised his arm and then slammed it down onto the back of a walkers head, jerking it forward in surprise. He yanked his arm free, pulling his blade away cleanly, as the walker fell to the ground, finally and truly dead. Clementine aimed for a walker which had collapsed against the shut doors, though it was struggling to get up as they approached. She sank her hammer into the female walkers skull, the thud of its impact sickening to her ears, though she didn't show it in her expression. She shook her hammer free, as the woman fell to the ground, blood slowly leaking from the wound as Clementine hurried to pull the woman away from the doors. She looked up at Luke's drawn expression, as he studied the door.

"Nick..?" He called hesitantly. Clementine threw him a withering glare, finding his hesitance cute, though she wouldn't let him know it. A rough sound of groaning could be heard vaguely through the door, and Clementine stood quickly, her eyes widening at the implications. Her heart stopped, as tears sprang to her eyes. She shook her head, denying all possibility of Nick or Pete's turning. "Clementine..!" She ignored Luke's sudden plea, unable to wait. She had to know. She had to see them, had to know for sure. Tears blinded her, as she threw her weight against the door and stumbled to her knees in the small room. Catching her breath, she reluctantly raised her eyes to the prone figure laying on the floor before them. Her heart was in her mouth, as she inched across the room on her hands and knees, desperately hoping that she was wrong, that this wasn't how it appeared.

"Clementine..!" Luke's concerned calls seemed dulled, as a numbness settled over her. She felt his hand on her shoulder, drawing her away from the body on the ground. She couldn't hear her reply, wasn't even sure she made one. All she could do, was stare. "Jesus..." Luke breathed, crouching down beside her. She turned and buried her face into his jumper, as his arm snaked around her shoulder.

"Urgggghh..." Clementine screamed, as the body moved, groaning loudly. She whipped her head around to see, her free hand already on the butt of her hidden gun. "Hey man... you got any aspirin?"

"Nick, you asshole!" Luke laughed, relief flooding his voice. Clementine felt him squeeze her shoulder slightly as he grasped Nick's offered hand and helped him sit up. "Look what you did to Clementine, man." He said sternly, making Clementine's cheeks warm and her eyes sting as she fought off tears. Nick's expression seemed suitably contrite, and so she launched herself into his torso.

"Ah, ha ha haa... Oh, man, easy Clem..." He groaned, though he wrapped his free arm around her and held her close as she sobbed in relief over his not being a walker. "I feel like shit."

"Good," Clementine laughed, trying to frown at him. "You should, you asshole.." She added, causing them all to laugh at her stealing Luke's line. Nick's expression softened, and he gently pat her on the head fondly.

"Well, if you're all done with seeing how my drunken nephew is, I could use a little help over here myself..." Clementine turned quickly to the far corner of the shed, where Pete was watching them with obvious amusement. He leaned heavily on a make-shift walking stick, apparently having been made from the broken rake handle. Her tears flowed freely as he smiled at her, his paleness and obvious pain nothing compared to the pride of her return with aide. "Well done Clementine, well done." He said. She felt her heart break, though it was from an overflow of love for the people around her. Luke's warm hand on her shoulder, Nick's in her own hands. Pete's warm eyes on her, Rebecca's kind words. It all amounted to a feeling she hadn't felt since Lee had died, chained to a radiator because he had wanted to spare her the pain of having to shoot him. These people, this group, were her family. And she suddenly knew, she would do anything to keep them safe from the psychotic plans of Carver and his followers.


	11. A Brief Interlude

Clementine watched with the eyes of a hawk, as Carlos examined Pete in the furthest corner of the shed. She assumed he was trying to prevent Sarah from seeing the awful stump at the end of Pete's leg. She scoffed and glanced to where she had hidden Pete's amputated foot, cringing as she felt bile rise in her throat. She quickly looked away, hoping nobody would speak to her for awhile to save her the possibility of being sick on them. Luke rubbed between her shoulders gently, a beacon of kindness and strength for her to cling to as he distracted and silently supported her as best he could. When she peeked up from under her cap at his face, his brows were drawn into a frown, and his expression was worn and distressed. She bit her lip and tried to think of a way to stop his mind from conjuring the images of what had happened here, assuming that was what was happening in his head as she knew that it was in her own. She raised her hand and lightly grasped his wrist, tugging his hand from her back and resting her own over it. He glanced down at her as if surprised, and smiled weakly at her attempts to distract him right back. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

"Dammit Clem..." Nick groaned, running a hand through his hair before he re-placed his cap. He sat on the crate slightly in front of her, his back to Pete's current examination. She guessed that he had seen enough of the stump first hand to want to see it again now if he didn't need to. "I don't think I could'a stood up to Carver half so well as it sounds like you did. I'd have just got pissed and made a mess of things..." He said, shaking his head in either wonder at her bravery, or shame at his own temper. Clementine smiled, and offered him her free hand, squeezing gently when he took it in his own. She tried to tell herself there was no specific reason she kept her other hand on Luke's, but she knew that it was mostly because his hands touching hers made her feel oddly warm and tingly, and she didn't want to give the feeling up just yet.

"Nick you woulda kicked his ass all the way to Timbuktu." She grinned, swinging her legs lightly against the crate she sat on. She was still short enough that by sitting back, her feet didn't reach the floor, something the others had teased her incessantly over.

"Or he woulda kicked mine," Nick scoffed, dropping her hand as he scratched his ear. She laughed at his mystified expression and then glanced back into the corner, hurriedly pushing herself to her feet as Carlos straightened to his own, her smile fading as quickly as the daylight would in a few hours. The doctor helped Pete hobble over to them, and Clementine released Luke's hand as she quickly stepped out of the way to let Pete have her seat on the crate.

"You two did a good job, considering your circumstances." Carlos said, though Clementine couldn't help but notice he seemed reluctant to admit it. She found that she didn't care about his attitude though, the confession itself easing a heavy weight from her heart. "There's no sign of infection setting in, and the alcohol has managed to keep it both clean and sterile..." Clementine met Pete's gaze, and she hastily rubbed her arm over her eyes, not wanting him to see her cry, even if it was with happiness.

"However, the fact remains. We need to get moving, and this is going to slow us down considerably..." Clementine frowned at the doctor, unsure there were any words she could say to express her current disgust with him for actually saying such a thing, let alone in front of Pete. "Do you think there's anything we can use, maybe to build a makeshift stretcher?" He asked Luke, who grimaced with uncertainty. Clementine drifted away, quietly making her way outside into the open air. Such a small place filled with so many people made it hard to breathe. Once in the fresh air, she took a deep and satisfying breath of cool air, clearing her mind of her less than kind thoughts about Carlos. Despite his tactlessness, he was ultimately right, and it rankled her to no end to have to admit it, even if only to herself.

She glanced back at the others, still caught up in a hot debate of what to do now that they had someone who was so dependent on the others in the group. Pete caught her eye briefly, but he merely smiled and then turned back to the conversation. Her blood suddenly boiled again, her temper spiking from the quiet acceptance and resignation she had seen in his eyes. Without thinking, she turned and stormed away towards the woods, just needing to put some space between herself and what was, in her opinion, a horrific conversation. When she came to a fallen tree just inside the edge of the clearing, she turned back to the shed and sat with a huff, leaning her elbows on her knees and holding her head in frustration. She glared at the small building, at the window she had once stared longingly out of, while the three of them were trapped within.

The world was fifty shades of fucked up, Clementine decided, as she silently fumed to herself. What was the point in trying to survive, if you turned on each other when you saw one of your party as a 'weakness?' She hated that these people, whom she had allowed herself to admit, at least to herself, that she loved; were considering leaving an old man behind, after she and Nick had gone to such extremes to save him. She knew Nick would never leave Pete though, so it would be a case of abandoning them both if Carlos managed to convince everyone that was the best option. What would she do then? Her stomach squirmed uncomfortably, at the thought of continuing on without Nick or Pete. But it positively turned over, at the thought of staying behind with them, and leaving Luke. Her heart sped up, her palms felt sweaty, and she frowned as she raised one hand to her eyes. She didn't understand why it was that even just the thought of leaving Luke, made her feel so awful. Why didn't she feel the same about everyone in the group? Before she could think any further on it, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and jumped guiltily.

"Hey, whoa, easy there shorty..." Luke said lightly, raising his hands in mock surrender. Clementine felt her cheeks burn, feeling ashamed that she had been so absorbed in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed his approach. Considering she was  _facing_ the shed, she really had no excuse. She paled as she thought of the ramifications of her actions; what if it had been a walker instead of Luke? He seemed to sense some of her sudden guilt and shook his head, smiling softly. "It's ok, Alvin's keeping a watch out here, just in case." He said, gesturing over to where Alvin was pacing the edge of the clearing, checking both sides of the shed, and the woods around them for potential threats.

"Sorry..." Clementine mumbled, unwilling to meet Luke's eyes. She felt oddly shy around him, perhaps because she had been thinking about the difference in her reactions to potentially breaking away from the group in various ways.

"I was gonna ask if you was ok, but I'm guessin' that'd probably be pointless..." Luke said, trying to catch her eyes. She relented slightly, glancing up before quickly looking away. She heard him sigh and quickly thought of a topic to distract him from trying to unravel her current state of mind.

"How's the abandonment plan coming along?" She asked, though she immediately regretted her wording from the look of hurt and sadness which briefly passed over his face. "I'm sorry." She sighed, throwing her head back as she wrung her hands together. "I didn't mean that... it's just,"

"It's ok," Luke said quietly, watching her carefully. "I get that it seems that way, but ya gotta know; I would never leave anyone behind..." They both knew that the words 'if I can avoid it' were to remain unspoken, and they remained in awkward silence for a long moment. Clementine looked over at the shed, trying her hardest to not let her eyes keep straying back to Luke. His hair was still pretty messy, as though he hadn't slept all night but had continued to manhandle it. She would deny it if anyone else ever asked, but she couldn't help but think it made him look younger, more carefree, and definitely more cute than his usual neater style. She forced her eyes to follow the wall, picking out patterns and shapes hidden in the building's brickwork. She frowned suddenly, as her eyes were drawn back to the small window again.

"Hey Luke," She asked curiously, "How big would you say the shed is over there? It's a pretty small room right?" She met his eyes, seeing his confusion at the conversation shift easily readable in his frown.

"Yeah, I guess.." He said, uncertain where the sudden question had come from, or where it would lead.

"So; what do you see? If you look over there from here?" Luke raised a brow at her quizzically, before he turned and examined the small shed as she had. His eyes raked over the doors, the small window, and the wall along the closest side to them. Clementine watched his face, seeing his expression slowly cloud from confusion, before clearing to understanding.

"I see a wall, that's longer than the shed we were just in..." He said turning to meet her burning hopeful gaze with one of his own. He held out a hand, and she took it as she jumped up from her temporary seat.

"Which means there must be another entrance to the other side." They said in unison.

"What would you do without me, huh old man?" She asked, grinning as she gently nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. She dropped a wink at him, which finally elicited a bark of laughter from him, before he turned and gestured for her to lead the way over, bowing low like a fairytale prince would have in those long forgotten stories of her childhood. She laughed at the thought, before running off ahead of him, living for the thrill of the moment as long as she could.

When she reached the wall of the shed, she turned and followed it towards the far end, opposite to where they had previously entered. Hope burned in her chest, she was certain there was something in this shed that would help them. She could  _feel_ it in her racing heart. She laughed as Luke caught up to her, finally overtaking her as he darted around the final corner.

"No fair, you have old man long legs!" She pouted, as she came around herself a moment later. Luke wasn't did not respond to her though. Her chest rose and fell heavily as she caught her breath, while his own breathing seemed barely affected. She wanted to be annoyed, but she supposed she would just have to wait til adulthood to gain the kind of stamina Luke had. She turned to look at what had captured Luke's attention, and her rapid breathing hitched excitedly. A set of double doors, identical to the ones the other end. "What do you think is in there?" She whispered. Luke shook his head, apparently lost for words at their discovery. He reached one shaking hand over his shoulder, un-holstering his machete. Clementine followed his example, and pulled her hammer from her backpack. Once they were both armed, they approached the doors cautiously. It would be pointless to be reckless now, so they put their levity aside, as the doors slowly creaked open.

No growling, salivating or general walker sounds greeted them, but they shared a look which spoke more than any words would have; silence meant nothing. Luke crept into the shed first, gesturing for Clementine to stay behind him. She rolled her eyes, but followed his lead, keeping quiet as she walked in after him. She crouched, muffling any sounds she made as much as she could, stepping quietly and thoughtfully as they ventured deeper into the dim shed. A window on the far side of the room barely let in any light through its grime, and Clementine changed course, leaving Luke to explore himself as she moved over to the window. She tucked her hammer into her waistband, before reaching up to try and open the window. She could reach the windows edge, but was just too short to reach the latch. She grimaced and turned, squinting over to see Luke carefully examining every potential spot for walkers to be hiding. She smiled, pleased he was there to secure the area. She turned back to the window, and looked down. Just to the left was a crate, but she didn't want to move it and risk alerting any hidden walkers of her location. Instead, she silently climbed onto the crate, and carefully leaned toward the window. She grabbed the windowsill, and her fingertips brushed against the handle of the window. She frowned and shuffled her feet forward, trying to stretch herself just a little further. She eased her fingers forward, biting her lip as she strained to reach. Finally she grasped the handle, quickly turning the latch and pulled the window hard.

"Ah!" She cried, as she fell from the crate, but although she slammed her eyes shut, expecting a sudden hard impact with the ground, she instead found herself leaning against a soft torso. She opened her eyes and turned quickly, her fingers flying to the hammer in her waistband as a hand grabbed her shoulder.

"You coulda just asked me to do that, ya know..." Luke said, his eyes glittering with amusement. Clementine released a loud breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, relief flooding her as her fears subsided. His hold on her arm relaxed as she stood up again, her fingers releasing the hammer now that she wasn't in need of defending herself.

"Don't scare me like that..." She muttered, lightly jabbing his arm. He watched her seriously for a long moment.

"Same to you, kid." He said at last. Clementine felt her whole body turn warm with shame. She remembered the time she had gotten stuck behind the locked gate at the train station, back when her group had first met Christa and Omid. She and Lee had gone to look for something to help them move the dangerously dangling oil truck from the trains path.

"Sorry..." She mumbled.

"Just don't do it again." Luke said lightly, tapping the peak of her baseball cap, making her duck her head. She frowned as she straightened her cap and glanced up at him, before looking away again quickly.

"Thanks for catching me." She muttered, folding her arms over her chest. She didn't know why she suddenly felt so shy around Luke.

"Anytime squirt." Luke said, jabbing her in the arm himself. She glanced at him, and couldn't help but return the grin he gave her. Whether he had sensed her sudden unease, he didn't say. Merely tipped his head to the back of the shed and released his supporting hold on her entirely. She grinned wider, her shyness gone as quickly as it had come, as she followed him through the small shed. "We're gonna have to clear up this mess a little, at least just shove it aside." Luke said, and Clementine could tell from his tone that he had found something, like she had known they would find something in here. She followed him eagerly, and when he came to a stop, she found herself almost holding her breath in excitement. He stepped aside, ripping a large dust cover aside as he moved.

"Holy shit..." Clementine swore with Lee's favorite curse, stunned by the immediate implications of Luke's find. She glanced at him, and she saw him staring at their prize with fire in his eyes. Determination, hope, and wonder all blazed passionately, as he turned his gaze to meet her own.

"Clementine," he said, his voice filled with excitement. "That is an understatement if ever I heard one."


	12. Where Mortals Fear To Tread

Clementine was seriously starting to re-think the awesomeness of having found a car. It wasn't the noise, because it actually ran pretty well, and although it was obviously louder than a bunch of people walking, it wasn't like it sounded like some hulking mechanical monster that was dying painfully. It wasn't even that it smelled bad inside, presumably because it was so old, despite being so well preserved. It wasn't even awfully cramped, although it wasn't exactly spacious either. No, Clementine was pretty sure it was  _just_ because it had been decided she would have to sit on Luke's lap for the ride. Truthfully, she didn't really mind the actual sitting on his lap. He was soft and warm and he always smelt nice.

It was more that Carlos had decided the whole seating plan for everyone. Alvin sat beside Luke, with Rebecca cramped half on his lap and half on the seat. Nick sat on Alvin's other side with Sarah on his lap, who looked just as unhappy about being treated like such a little kid as Clementine suspected she did herself. Clementine bit her lip as she watched from Rebecca and Alvin the corner of her eye. She could tell Rebecca wasn't enjoying the ride, but Carlos had insisted that they didn't have the time to make a second trip when Carver could be closing in on them. Her head said that she should have spoken up, told the group about Rebecca's pregnancy and be damned about the woman's temper. But her heart told her it wasn't her place, and Rebecca deserved to tell Alvin when she was ready.

Carlos was driving, and Pete had the passenger seat, as he needed the extra space for his makeshift crutch. He had been given the job of map reader, and where everyone else had a person on their lap, he had a map book. Clementine had a feeling that if he had known about Rebecca's condition, he would have sooner traveled in the trunk than let her be so cramped in the back. She sighed and leaned back against Luke's shoulder, closing her eyes in an attempt to shut off her brain for a little while at least.

Luke's excitement over finding the car was infectious, and never diminished even when it was discovered that there were no keys. When they had gathered the whole group, Pete had talked his nephew through the process of 'hot-wiring' the engine. He had cited that it was a damn shame they had to damage such a 'beautiful specimen,' but that it was a necessary evil and he hoped whoever had owned it would forgive them. Clementine had chosen not to mention that she suspected the owner was dead and was therefore unlikely to care either way. Pete seemed oddly reverent of the car, a 'Jaguar XJ from nineteen eighty', as he called it; though it meant nothing to Clementine. A car was a car, was a car. Adults were just weird sometimes, she had decided, before leaving them to it.

"You ok?" Luke asked softly, his breath brushing her ear as he turned toward her. She nodded and shifted herself slightly. She heard him suck in a sudden breath and assumed she had accidentally dug her elbow into his ribs again. She hastily settled herself against his side again, resting her head on his shoulder so she could doze.

"Sorry." She muttered, feeling her eyelids drooping. She wasn't sure what time of day it was, or how long they had been driving. She wasn't entirely sure where they were going, other than that Luke had said something about some mountains and it taking four to five days to get there. She was tired, the events and confrontations of the past two days were catching up to her and she knew that it wouldn't be too much longer before she crashed entirely. Luke made no reply to her, and she assumed he thought she had gone to sleep.

"Hey, Clem..?" Clementine forced her eyes open, and turned her head to meet Nick's hesitant gaze. "I... I just wanted to say... Thanks, for not giving up on me... for saving us." He said, gesturing to his uncle Pete in the seat in front of him. Pete turned his head slightly, still looking sickly and paler than normal, but at least he wasn't being forced to walk the distance they were traveling. He nodded, as if in agreement with Nick's thanks, and then turned to face forward again, turning a page and spreading out a small map on his lap.

"Don't worry about it Nick," she said sleepily, smiling at him happily. At least she hoped she was, because she didn't want to look like some crazy kind of loon. "You'd have done the same for me. That's what family does." Clementine didn't notice that almost everyone sent her an odd look at her phrasing, but nobody questioned her on it.

"Well..." Nick said, blushing slightly as he smiled back at her. "I won't forget it." He leaned back in his seat, moving just out of Clementine's sight as Rebecca moved slightly with discomfort. Clementine smiled and shifted again, wincing when Luke again caught his breath as if her elbow had caught him by accident. She hastily turned so that her back was to the others, before she curled into Luke's side. She rested her hands beneath her cheek, which she rested on his shoulder.

"What uh, what happened back there?" Luke's soft question was almost inaudible, but she felt the rumble of his voice in his chest. She looked up to see his eyes darting between her and Nick, concern written over his face openly. "He do somethin' stupid? You can tell me, I'm just lookin' out for him..."

"Nick saved my life." She mumbled, smiling sleepily.

"Really?!" Luke asked, his obvious surprise making him louder than he had intended. He glanced around, but despite a couple of frowns, there were no other reactions.

"Yeah..." She said, though she frowned as she thought about it a little harder. The thoughts were hard to focus on, slippery like water. She was so tired, her who body ached. "Sort of..." Luke sighed, and she looked up to see him shake his head and look out the window, frowning at the passing scenery.

"I'm worried about that kid," he admitted quietly enough that she knew she was the only one who heard. He glanced back at her, a small smile on his lips again. "You helped him a lot already... Keep an eye on him for me though, would ya?" Clementine raised her brow, the only way she felt would adequately convey her feelings of his asking her to babysit a grown man. He chuckled to himself at her expression. He turned sombre after a moment, seeming uncertain of something.

"You... sure you still wanna come with us?" Clementine blinked up at him, not understanding his sudden shift in mood. She realized that he had been thinking about this for some time, and Nick's intervention had merely given Luke the chance he needed to initiate a conversation with her about it. "Look, I know we got off to a rough start," he began, when she didn't immediately reply. "And, I can't make any promises it won't get rougher. But, we all know you now... We may not be perfect, but... we look out for each other."

"I was under the impression I had no choice in the whole, coming with you thing..." She said sleepily, glancing meaningfully at Carlos's seat in front of them.

"You always have a choice." Luke said immediately, though he clearly stopped himself from saying anything more. The words were so eerily similar to something Lee had once told her, that it woke her up enough to fully participate in the conversation.

"Did you just miss the part where I said 'family' to Nick?" She asked, frowning at him. "What, you think I was talking  _just_ to him?" Luke frowned back at her, clearly not following her train of thought. "I meant everyone Luke; all of us. What are we, if not one big happy, if slightly dysfunctional, family?" Luke's frown shifted to a glare, which he aimed at Nick, as the other man started laughing.

"Dude, you just got your ass handed to you by a girl..." He laughed. Luke glared at him some more, but deigned not to answer, instead looking back at Clementine accusingly.

"You realize I'm not gonna hear the end of this now?" He said, trying and failing to sound annoyed. She smiled winningly and winked, making him give up the pretense of anger and chuckled slightly. "So, you really mean it?" He asked eventually.

"Yeah, I'm with you." She said, yawning widely. She had meant to say she was with them all, but something had caught in her throat as she said it. She knew that ultimately, if push came to shove and the group separated, she would go with Luke before anyone else. That would be her choice. She stayed quiet, snuggling down and resting her head against his chest and listening to the sound of Luke's heartbeat. She felt him raise his arm, gently stroking her back once, before it settled warmly around her shoulders, making her feel safe and secure against him.

"And glad I... we, are to have you." Luke said quietly, as she closed her eyes, and finally felt herself drifting off into the deep and empty sleep of the truly exhausted. There was no way to tell how long she had slept, but eventually Clementine found herself beginning to fight her way back to consciousness.

_"What... think..?"_

She could hear voices talking quietly, but it almost felt as if she were hearing them through water, so distorted were the sounds around her. She couldn't focus on the words, couldn't make herself understand them. They buzzed around her head like angry flies, drawing her attention, but unable to hold it for long under scrutiny.

_"...around..?"_

_"No..."_

Clementine tried to open her eyes, and was greeted with blurry vision and the deep ache in her muscles which said she had been asleep for a fairly considerable amount of time. She shifted slightly and found she was no longer sitting on Luke's lap, but was leaning against the back of the car seat they had shared. She felt a brief momentary panic, before she heard his voice, combined with the others she had been hearing since she woke, informing her he was at least nearby and she hadn't slept through anything untoward.

" _Well..."_

_"What're we..."_

_"...do..?"_

Clementine groaned, as she tried to sit up. Her head thrummed lightly with the beginnings of a headache, and she guessed that she had overslept her natural sleeping hours. She blinked several times, trying to clear her vision, which worked to a degree, but mostly just made her head seem to hurt worse. When she finally felt she was ready, she leaned forward and grabbed the door handle, before all but falling out of the car.

"Whoa, easy there..." Clementine groaned, as she got to her feet, one hand rubbing her eyes as she extended the other to take Luke's offered hand. She glanced up and met his amused gaze. She rolled her eyes and released his hand quickly, turning to survey their surroundings. A giant metal bridge loomed a short ways off, crossing a large river. On the far side she could make out mountains, and she assumed they had reached the area Luke had shown them on the map he had then handed over to Pete.

"Where are we..?" She asked sleepily, though it was more residual than actually feeling tired. Luke watched her for a moment, but she waved her hand at him and gestured to the others where they huddled behind him. "What's with the pow-wow?"

"Well I'm not altogether sure where we are, but, if we stayed the course right; then I'm thinking we're somewhere between Woodstock and Mt. Jackson..." He paused, frowning thoughtfully as he glanced around. "I wish there was some way we could pick out some land markings, know for sure... We figured we covered about five days worth of travel with that car. We owe you a lot Clementine, without you..." Luke trailed off, and Clementine's heart clenched as she understood what he could not bring himself to say. Without her; Pete would be dead, Sarah would have been taken, and likely the rest of them too once they had found out. She shuffled her feet and averted her eyes, wondering how to break the awkward silence that fell over them.

"Hey look," she said, clearing her throat loudly. She pointed to a large rock just before the cliff edge and grinned at him. "Give me a boost and I'll find your land marks." Luke followed her gesture, and an uncertain crooked grin played across his lips. Clementine rolled her eyes at his nervousness over her safety, lightly jabbing him in the arm as she walked towards the rock. She appreciated his concern, but she was more than able to handle such a simple task. When she reached her destination, she paused, waiting for Luke to offer her a boost as requested. He sighed dramatically, as if her antics were a heavy burden on his conscience, but the small smile still caught the corners of his mouth in an upward kink. Clementine stepped her foot into the stirrup he made his hands into and scrambled up the rock, finding foot and handholds until she was high enough to see across the river. She secured herself, and then tentatively reached for her backpack, drawing out her binoculars from the side pocket.

"See anything..?" Luke called, and she presumed he had stepped back. She glanced over her shoulder with a withering glare, and he chuckled, raising one hand from the map he now held out before him in surrender. Clementine turned back to the river, raising the binoculars to try and find something they could use to identify where abouts they were.

"There's... a building on the mountain..." She said hesitantly. It was the first thing she saw upon looking through the binoculars, and she wasn't entirely sure whether she should have looked a little closer to their own positions first.

"What's it look like?" Carlos asked excitedly. Clementine studiously ignored him, hearing Luke's muffled laughter, which she presumed he was trying to hide from the older man.

"What's it look like?" He repeated, and Clementine smiled to herself as she examined the building and tried to think of how to describe it.

"It's... big," she began lamely, wincing slightly at the fact she could think of nothing better to say. She listened to the silence behind her, and could just imagine Luke and Nick both suppressing laughter.

"That sounds like a good place to spend the night..." Luke said eventually, and Clementine released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. She shifted her binoculars as she tried to find more details in the landscape.

"There's a lift... or something..." She reported, as she followed the line down the mountain from the building above. She reasoned that to follow the path downwards, would reveal the path to follow  _upwards._

"A chair lift?" Luke asked, suddenly excited. "Must be that ski resort... If I  _am_ right about the area we're in, that could well be Bryce Resort... We could actually, finally know where abouts we are guys!" Excited chatter broke out among the group, and Clementine even broke out in a small smile at the happiness this seemed to radiate through everyone. In a world where you were always moving, sometimes just knowing  _where_ you were, could make all the difference to your attitude.

"I've... never been skiing..." She muttered, more to herself than anyone else, so she was surprised when Alvin replied to her.

"Bec and I went once," he said, and Clementine could just imagine the two of them sat together behind her, his arm around her protectively as it had been for the part of the car journey she could remember.

"It wasn't pretty," laughed Rebecca, and Clementine thought the sound suited the older woman, much more than the whole, temper, raging and shouting thing she had been doing before they left the cabin. She followed the chair lift all the way down the mountain, wondering briefly if it was still operational. She skimmed to the bottom quickly as the bridge came into sight.

"There's the bridge..." She called uncertainly, as she dubiously examined the bad state the bridge seemed to be in.

"Does it look passable?" Luke called back, and Clementine bit her lip as she hesitated to reply. It wasn't in great condition no, but then again, it was still standing which was somewhat of an improvement over a lot of things in the world now.

"I think so..." She said at length. She still frowned at the bridge through her binoculars, a swirl of fear twisted in her gut, but she forced herself to look past her own doubts.

"Good." Luke said, clearly pleased by this development. Clementine rolled her eyes and sighed heavily, she could practically hear the thoughts whirling through his head now. "I heard that sigh, don't you be rolling those eyes at me." Clementine laughed quietly, pleased he had managed to guess her antics so well. Her laughter trailed off, as she shifted her weight on the rock, and caught sight of something else, just beyond the bridge. They would need a proper place to rest soon, somewhere defensive and sheltered, even for a short reprieve.

"There's a little... house, by the bridge..." She said, unsure what the small building actually was. It didn't exactly look lived in, but then what house did in the world they now lived in.

"How big is it?" Clementine felt the familiar irritation and desire to ignore Carlos, but she forced herself to answer, and tried to keep herself moderately polite in her response.

"It's..." She hesitated, not entirely certain how to describe it. "Pretty small..." She finished lamely, wincing at the fact she was unable to give anything better for them to go off. She heard Luke folding the map, and figured her scouting hour was over. She tucked her binoculars safely back into her backpack, and then began to slowly shuffle backwards down the rock. She thought she might fall once, but Luke's reassuring hand had already grabbed her foot, and she knew in her heart she was safe.

"We need to cross that bridge." Carlos said, causing Clementine to roll her eyes at his ability to state the obvious. "Let's go." She dropped to the ground, allowing Luke to raise his hands in a hopes to slow Carlos down.

"Hold on now, we can't all just go sprinting across that thing, okay?" He said, trying to sound calm and reasonable to an obviously unreasonable man. Clementine didn't know why he bothered really, better to just let Carlos run off alone and get himself killed by either walker or human so far as she was concerned. She frowned at herself, not liking her thoughts or their callousness, but she knew she was still right. Stupidity killed in their world now, and Carlos, as he regularly proved, was intent on acting stupidly. "If we get spotted out there, we're gonna be trapped."

"Going around that lake will take too long." Carlos said stubbornly, glaring at Luke.

"Right, but..." Luke began, but hesitated, seeming to understand that Carlos was being deliberately argumentative for whatever reason. He ran a hand through his hair as Clementine walked up and stood beside him, silently observing the miniature argument, and started again. "Look, we've got no idea whose out there. Okay, I'm gonna sneak across and make sure its clear, before we bring the whole group over." He said, trying to show that his concern was for the entire group and their ultimate safety.

"You think splitting up the group is a good idea?" Carlos asked, raising a brow. Clementine wanted to kick him in the shin for being such a demanding ass, but she just bit her lip and tried to keep her opinion to herself. She glared at him heavily though.

"Well, I never said it was a  _good_ idea," Luke said flippantly, trying to defuse the argumentative nature of their discussion. "But, it's better than riskin' everyone at once." He added, with a touch more seriousness to his voice. Clementine briefly flashed him a smile, before she glared at Carlos again.

"What's your plan?" Alvin asked, clearly interested in this idea more than Carlos plan to rush in blindly.

"Clementine and I can scoot across low and slow and make sure nobody's waitin' for us on the other side." He said confidently. Clementine raised a brow at his assumption that she would go with him, but her grin betrayed her true feelings on the matter. He winked at her, and she bit her lip not to laugh.

"We'll have a tough time coverin' you from back here..." Alvin said uncertainly, glancing between Luke and Clementine worriedly. Clementine was touched that the man was so worried about them, but she was also getting tired of people underestimating her and her ability to cope.

"Well, we'll just turn back if it gets hairy." Luke said, though Clementine wouldn't have been surprised to find his fingers crossed behind his back if she looked. She doubted there would be much have them turn back, short of Carver's men waiting on the far side of the bridge. Silence settled on the group for a moment, as the sense of the argument began to sink in. Clementine caught sight of Carlos's face twisting, and he had a feeling she wasn't about to like what he next said.

"Clementine should stay here. She's..." He said, glancing over at her briefly, but Clementine cut him off.

"Don't you  _fucking_ dare say what you're about to say..." She spat, furious that he would try to dictate what she should do. This man who presumed to know best, who would one day be responsible for the death of his daughter. Her anger at him only grew, as he glared back at her just as fiercely.

"She's what..?" Luke asked flatly, crossing his arms and apparently not picking up on the fact that Clementine didn't want Carlos to finish his sentence. He stood hesitant for a moment longer, before he sighed, having the grace to at least be embarrassed by his words.

"She's just a little girl, Luke." He said, mimicking Luke's crossed arm pose as they stared hatefully at each other.

"She's a  _valuable_ little girl." Luke said fiercely, and Clementine could almost swear that his eyes flashed with anger at the other mans words. She felt her stomach flood with warmth at the intense way he defended her, and his use of the word 'valuable' made her cheeks warm with pride. "I mean, hell, if she can sew up her own arm, she's fit to cross a bridge." He added, and Clementine giggled despite her best efforts not to. The night they had met seemed like a lifetime ago, yet it seemed she had made a truly lasting impression with her actions, and she couldn't help but feel pleased by the fact she had impressed a bunch of adults so thoroughly.

"He's got a point..." Alvin chipped in, sounding amused by the turn in the conversation. Clementine was both surprised and pleased to note that Rebecca was smiling and nodding along with her husbands addition. She smiled tentatively back. Perhaps the raging anger in this woman had finally subsided and they could get along now. She hoped so. Despite the warmth she felt from the acceptance of Rebecca, she couldn't fight her irritation, as she turned back to Carlos.

"You're  _not_ my dad, Carlos." She spat, crossing her arms as she clenched her fists.

"And  _you_ are lucky you're not my daughter." He replied, just as angrily. He glared at her as he lowered his arms, but Clementine knew he would, or rather  _could,_ do nothing to her; he wouldn't stand a chance with Luke by her side. She knew it in her heart.

"Thank god." She muttered, averting her gaze slightly. She dreaded to even imagine the pitiful excuse of a life she would be leading if she had met someone like Carlos as opposed to Lee. She heard Luke laugh at her comment, and was pleased he didn't even try to hide it like he normally would have. Carlos glared at them both, but ultimately seemed to decide that his argument was pointless against both of them.

"It's gonna be fine, okay?" Luke sighed, trying to clear the air and reassure the other man. "We'll signal you in ten minutes. Just watch for a light at the far side." Carlos turned his face away, clearly too stubbornly against their plan to even acknowledge it. Clementine grinned to herself, pleased to be so much more grown up than some of the adults she traveled with.

"I can go too." Nick said suddenly, getting to his feet with his rifle in hand. Clementine eyed it warily, knowing he was both trigger happy, and not exactly the best of shots.

"Hush up boy, just 'cause you want some glory, don' mean you need to be in on all the action all the time." Pete said, rolling his eyes at his nephews offer. "You're better off stayin' with the rest of us here." Nick narrowed his eyes as he turned to his uncle.

"I'm  _fine,_ uncle Pete, I don' need to just sit around and wait for a little girl and my best friend to do all the work when I can help them."

"You'll do a darn sight more help leavin' them to it boy, _"_ Pete said tiredly, as though this were an argument they had had many times. Clementine wouldn't be surprised if they had. "But regardless of that, I could use your help." He added. Nick's eyes dropped immediately to Pete's missing foot, as did Clementine's, though she hastily yanked them away again. She swallowed heavily, and was fairly certain that Nick did as well, both of them tormented by guilt over their actions; even if they had saved Pete's life through them.

"Okay; I'll stay..." Nick said quietly. He sat back on his rock, keeping his eyes low, but Clementine could see the hard set of his shoulders, and knew he was fighting the urge to just follow them anyway. Pete said nothing more, watching his nephew with a thoughtful and somewhat sad expression.

"I don't like this." Carlos said, his voice dripping with venom.

"Yeah, well, when's the last time you liked anything, Carlos?" Luke asked, finally exasperated with the man. He raised his hands and waved them towards the other man dismissively, turning his back to him as he began to walk away.

"If something happens..." Nick said suddenly, causing Luke to pause briefly before he passed him. "I'll cover you." He promised, clearly determined to show his worth somehow. Luke hesitated only a moment longer, before he continued on his way to the bridge. Clementine made to follow, but then hurried to Sarah, quickly taking off her backpack and handing it to the other girl for safe keeping. The bridge might look steady, but she didn't want to be carrying any extra weight then she absolutely needed.

"Come on." He muttered to Clementine, as he passed her. She didn't waste any thoughts on the others, and immediately followed him, falling into an easy pace beside him. For a while they were content to walk in silence, putting some distance between themselves and the rest of the group. Clementine felt a warmth in her heart, a lightness in her chest at being needed, and at Luke's belief and defense of her abilities. She had been stifled for so long by the many people who had underestimated her. She winced slightly at the memory of Omid's unfair death, and her thoughts turned melancholy, thinking perhaps it wasn't always so unjust that people no longer counted on her.

""Hey, uh... sorry, about that." Luke said uncertainly. She glanced up and realized he had been watching her, and apparently blamed her sudden mood shift on the minor disagreement with the group. "I just, could really use your eyes, and right now; I don't trust Nick to tie his own shoes." He said, glancing back over his shoulder as if to make sure Nick wasn't secretly following them. Clementine frowned, wondering why Nick would be so untrustworthy to his best friend, but she immediately reconsidered, when she factored in the guilt he was obviously feeling over his uncle Pete's... condition. She felt it just as keenly, but had dealt with so much worse, for so long, it was really only one more thing tossed on the giant scales that weighed her actions. "They're just still on edge after the whole... Carver... thing..."

"How long have we been traveling, and by car no less... Plus, we left the extra tracks,  _and_ we don't even know if he has a car or anything..." Clementine muttered, glancing up at him from beneath her cap. "Why would Carver still be following us?" Luke averted his eyes, and Clementine fought not to roll her own. Why was it that adults were so insistent on hiding things from anyone younger than them? She expected Luke to lie, or avoid her question entirely by shutting up, so she was surprised when he finally spoke again.

"What's the most important thing in this world?" He asked suddenly, watching her closely. She didn't need to think about it, the answer clear in her mind already. "What does everyone want? Even the gangs, what do you think they're all after?" She thought of Lee, of Kenny with Katjaa and Duck, of Christa before Omid's death.

"Family." She said flatly, looking back at the path before them. She tried to work out what Luke was hinting at, and wondered why he couldn't just tell her like a normal person, but she forced herself to be patient, knowing he was at least going to answer her; even if it was cryptically and annoyingly. Luke watched her another moment, before he too faced forward again, watching the bridge grow closer as they approached it.

"It's a tough world out there, without people you can trust." He said. Clementine lowered her head, determined not to let Luke see the impact of those words on her heart through her expression. He seemed hesitant to continue, or uncertain of how to. "Anyways; you can ask Rebecca, okay? I'm not gonna get in the middle of it. We've all made mistakes. Done things that, we regret... It's not my place to talk about someone else's past, you know?" Clementine suddenly stopped, her eyes snapping up to meet Luke's stunned gaze as he stopped and turned back to her.

"Rebecca and Carver?" She asked, shocked to her core. Luke nodded slightly, though he looked incredibly uneasy about it. He also seemed confused by why it seemed to affect her so much. "They..." Clementine made several wild and vague gestures with her hands, and Luke smiled sadly at her attempts. He nodded again, and Clementine moved her eyes to the ground, thinking back to that short time ago she had spoken to Rebecca about telling Alvin about her baby. Suddenly, Rebecca's attitude made a  _lot_ more sense, as did her fear of Carver finding them.

"What's the matter..?" Luke asked nervously. Clementine snapped herself out of her daze, meeting his eyes briefly before she forced herself to begin walking again.

"Nothing..." She said, not entirely sure who she was trying to convince, but knowing she had likely failed in both cases. "I know what that's like..." She muttered, and from his sudden gawp, she could guess what he thought. "Not that, you weirdo old man... just the whole; regret, thing..." She said, averting her eyes back to the path. Luke watched her silently a long moment, and from the corner of her eye she could see the sadness in them, before he too faced forwards again.

"Yeah." He said, just as sadly, and then he said no more on the subject.


	13. A Heartfelt Agony

"I swear, if you hum that tune  _one_ more time, I'm gonna turn around and go sit with Carlos instead of help your old ass over this bridge." Clementine said, as she glared up at Luke's far too innocent expression. They had walked only around five minutes, but already the bridge seemed so much closer than it had from where the group was camped. They had guessed it wouldn't take them long to get there, but the distance had been deceptive, and they doubted it would take another five to reach it after all. That was all completely moot of course, if Luke continued to be so annoying as he repeatedly hummed the tune of 'Oh my darling, Clementine.'

"What song?" He asked, feigning ignorance with a serene smile. "Besides, nothing I could ever do would be bad enough to make you go sit with Carlos." She narrowed her eyes at his assumption, though she did note that he stopped humming for a moment.

"Fine, then I'll just kick your ass." She said, causing him to laugh loudly. She eventually joined in despite her mock annoyance with him, though she kept her own laughter quiet, ever aware of the danger of being too loud.

"Clementine, you are one of a kind." Luke laughed, and Clementine grinned up at him, glowing both inside and out from the compliment. She winked at him, and he laughed a little more. Clementine enjoyed the easy atmosphere, relishing the sense of freedom she felt now that there was some distance between them and the others. She knew they didn't mean to smother her so much, well not all of them, but she couldn't help but breathe easier if she got to have a break from them every so often.

Clementine let Luke enjoy his moment of amusement, watching the path before them unfold, into a clearing before the entrance to the bridge. Clementine's initial excitement was curbed by the sight of two walkers, one standing aimlessly on the path to the bridge while the other seemed to be sitting behind a rock. There was no way to avoid them, so they would have to be taken care of before they even thought of crossing the bridge.

"Hmm..." Luke muttered, as he pondered their options quietly. "Can't shoot 'em. Too much noise... But, there are only two..." Clementine agreed silently, already pulling her hammer from the waistband of her trousers.

"Let's take them." She said, as she held her hammer up before her and grinned at him.

"I like you're style." Luke said fondly, scuffing his hand over her cap so it covered her eyes briefly. She scowled as she corrected it, but the curl of her lips gave away her amusement. They crouched as one, and began to inch their way closer to their unaware targets. They hunkered behind a large rock, as Luke unstrapped his machete. "I'll take the big one, you get shorty." He said, watching the two walkers as they just; stood. It had always used to unnerve Clementine, the unnatural stillness of the walkers which could instantly give way to insane bursts of speed should they smell blood or hear anyone trying to creep by them. "Wish we could use guns... Still, we should be okay..." Luke continued to mutter, and Clementine suddenly realized he was trying to reassure her.

" _I've_  got the big one..." She said, glaring up at him as she raised her hammer to the ready. Luke had never treated her like a little kid before, and she was determined he was aware that he was not allowed to start now.

"Hey, kid." Luke said, turning towards her. "Look, it's not like I don't know you have the guts..." But his words were wasted, for Clementine was already moving. She swept away from him like a ghost, watching her feet to make sure she didn't give any hint to the walkers of her presence, while keeping half an eye on the walkers themselves to make sure they didn't suddenly decide that their continued immobile state needed to change. Luke followed her example, though she missed the wry grin he threw her direction at her skilled sneak attack.

Clementine slowed her approach, her eyes and ears and even nose alert for any hidden factors in their plan. She crept forward, her front leg crossing over the other as she shifted her weight and position for her attack. She struck suddenly and fiercely, her hammer smashing straight into the back of the standing walkers knee. The walker buckled, and hit the floor hard, immediately struggling its way to a sitting position by the bridge's entrance. She wasted no time, as she went for the kill, knowing any hesitation was a death sentence to many. Her aim was true, and only a small smattering of blood was released from the impact, saving her the need to scrub herself at least. However, she had over exerted her force, and her hammer had become lodged in the walkers skull.

The sound of Luke's machete cutting straight through his own targets head, was one she envied. She needed a better weapon. She looked over at him and saw that though he looked slightly defeated at the fact a young girl had managed to down a much harder target with no real hassle, but she could also see the hints of a grin still on his face. She fought bile in her throat, as she glanced down and found the other walker hadn't just sitting, but was in fact torn in two. It's legs and lower body were missing, leaving the remains of some intestines, spilling over the ground where they should have been. She turned away, back to her own target, and grimaced at her hammer's stubborn determination to remain in the walkers skull.

She sighed as she began to wiggle the hammer slightly, pretending not to hear the sickening sound of flesh being torn apart inside the walkers head. She gave a solid tug, and succeeded only in almost unbalancing herself. Feeling her cheeks warm with embarrassment, she refused to turn around and face Luke's watching eyes. She tugged again, and felt only a small amount of give. With some more wiggling and yanking, she tried once more to tug the weapon from its imprisonment within the walkers skull.

"Go on, give it a good pull." Luke said, and Clementine rolled her eyes. What did he think she had been doing? Painting with it? "It should come free."

"I know." She said, turning a withering glare over her shoulder. "I've done this before, remember?  _In a shed..."_ Clementine immediately felt bad for the barb, but Luke had just added to an already irritated mindset. He looked away, his brow creasing and his expression both sad and regretful. Clementine forced herself to turn back to the hammer embedded in the walkers skull, using both hands to grip it tightly. She pulled hard as she yanked it from side to side, and then finally, she felt it give. She tore it free with a satisfied grunt.

"Damn..." Murmured Luke, his eyes wide as she turned toward him. She grinned up at him slightly cheekily, her cheeks warm from the impressed expression on his face. He met her eyes, and stretched his hand forward to her, palm up. Clementine raised a brow, not sure if perhaps he was trying to initiate a 'who had the cleanest hands after killing a walker' game. She mimicked his gesture, and was slightly surprised when he turned his hand over and suddenly reached forward to slap her hand gently. "Now... don't do that again..."

"Okay old man, no more pushing your nerves." She laughed, rolling her eyes at him. Luke laughed with her, but she could sense that he was at least partially serious. She hung her head slightly and nodded, accepting that she had needlessly endangered herself without saying it. Luke gently scuffed her hat as he began to move forward, his amusement and fondness clear on his face as Clementine turned to walk along side him, as they finally stepped onto the bridge.

Clementine immediately decided, she did not like this bridge. While it had appeared mostly intact from afar, she was not at all impressed by it once they were ready to begin crossing. Wooden planks were evenly spaced down the middle, connected to thick rails which barely left small footpaths to either side. She thought about asking Luke if he thought it was really train tracks they were following, that was certainly what they looked like to her. True, her only real comparison was to the tracks that the train Lee had got working for them, and she hadn't really been paying attention to the tracks themselves at the time.

Chuck's conversation about how she would die floated to the front of her memory, and she smiled sadly at the fury Lee had shown upon her sharing it with him. It had made Lee reconsider his mind set of treating her like a child though, and had ultimately saved her in the end. For here she was, the last of her group. Always the survivor. She rubbed her chest with her hand gently, lost to the memories for a moment, before she took a deep breath and forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand.

She drew a sharp breath, as she realized there were walkers ahead of them, and they had noticed them. She hurriedly readied her hammer, as one began to crawl towards them. It stumbled to its feet, while the other began to lumber unsteadily towards them as well. A sound from behind caused Clementine to whip her head around, and she swore in her head at her distracted amble across the bridge. A walker behind them, and two in front. If she had been paying attention, they wouldn't be boxed in now. She waited by Luke's, expecting any moment for him to voice a 'plan.'

"Shit." Luke muttered, as if to himself. She glanced up at him, and was disheartened to see the walkers were fast approaching them from behind him too. Luke drew his machete and walked forward, walking on each plank along the middle of the bridge. He headed back the way they had come, clearly putting some distance between the two ahead and planning to take care of the one which had been sneaking up on them from the back. Clementine hesitated, frozen to the spot for a moment until she heard Lee's voice screaming at her in her head.

" **Clementine, move!** _"_

The shock was all she needed to follow Luke, planning to copy his method to put some space between her and the larger target. A plank beneath Luke's foot suddenly snapped, and Luke cried out in shock as he fell, landing on another plank before the approaching walker. The thing raised its arms, sensing an easy meal, but suddenly more planks crashed through the bottom of the bridge, and Luke disappeared from her sight along with the walker.

" _Luke!_ " She screamed, racing forward as her heart pounded. She stayed on the metal walkway, and threw herself over the edge of the hole in the middle of the bridge, relief flooding her at the sight of Luke still alive. The walker was impaled, but was still able to swipe its arm towards him, trying to grab his legs and pull him closer, or just rip the flesh from his leg to eat it, she couldn't tell.

"Clementine!" Luke called, as he turned and tried to balance himself on the beams that ran beneath the bridge. They weren't easy for him to hold onto, but so long as he didn't slip, there was hope for him to get back up. "I'm okay, I'm just... I'm stuck." He balanced his arms on one beam, and his feet on the other, though he had to keep shuffling them back and forth to avoid the walkers continued swiping at his legs. She leaned down as far as she could, reaching forward with her hand, but even as he reached for her, she could tell it wasn't enough.

"I can't reach!" She cried, tears welling in her eyes as her throat caught on her words. She stared down at him, desperately wishing she were able to help in some way.

"It's okay..." Luke said, trying to sound calm. She knew he was only doing it to try and reassure her, and her panic only seemed to increase for his efforts. "It's okay kid, we'll figure something out, okay?" Clementine wanted to laugh at the amount of times he said 'okay' in a single sentence, but her nerves were too fraught. A growl came from somewhere nearby, but she was so focused on Luke's situation, that she hadn't noticed her own growing more dire. "Behind you!" Luke cried suddenly, panic in his voice now as he looked up and behind them, to the other two walkers who had been lumbering towards them.

"Oh, shit..." Clementine muttered, as she followed his gaze and saw the walkers almost upon them. With Luke incapacitated, she would have to clear things up herself, and just hope he could take care of himself until she was able to find some way to help him. She rolled to her feet, clambering over the edge of the hole towards the nearest walker. She braced herself for its attack, and when it lurched towards her, she dodged its raised arms, and thwacked her hammer hard into its knee. It sank forward, and without hesitation, she swung her hammer towards its head. The walker moved at the last second, and her swing lodged her hammer into its cheek rather than its skull. Panic flooded her, as it swung its head and tried to open its jaws to bite her, growling ferociously at her. She held onto her hammer, tugging it towards herself in an attempt to dislodge it.

The walker swung its head to the side, and Clementine suddenly flew backwards, as the walkers jaw also came free, flying high over her before it fell the long distance into the river. Clementine stared down at the water over her shoulder, as she flailed her arms for her in a desperate attempt not to follow the jawbone over the edge of the bridge. She just managed to regain her balance, when sharp movements told her the walker would be on its feet in seconds. Acting instinctively, knowing its force would knock her over, she threw herself to the side, grabbing the tall metal girders that held up the side of the bridge with one hand, as he hammer slipped from the grip of her other. She glanced back to see the walker fall over the side of the bridge, following her hammer on a journey to the river.

A sudden growl made her snap her head back to the front, and she saw the other walker ambling towards her. She tried to scramble across the side of the bridge, but her grip slipped, and time seemed to slow as she began to fall. She cried out, as her hands scrabbled madly for something, anything she could grab hold of to stop her fall. As she feet flailed in the air, the air exploded from her lungs, as her chest suddenly slammed into the bottom of the bridge, and she threw her arms over the far edge of the beam to hold herself up.

" _Clementine!"_ Luke screamed, though Clementine had no way to answer him as her feet swung madly through the empty air below her. She tried to clear her mind and think things through, but the blind panic clawing through her mind made it impossible. She knew only one thing for certain. Her next move would either save her; or kill her. She stared up at her hands, where they were tightly gripping the edge of the beam she dangled from. With a determined grunt, she tried to raise herself enough to shift over slightly. Her arms ached, her heart pounded, and just when she thought she couldn't hold on any longer, her arms raised her just enough that she could twist herself to the side and swing one foot up onto the beam. With her weight no longer dangling from her arms, she was able to swing herself again to the side, letting go of the lower beam to grab at another as she swept to the side. She hurriedly pulled herself up, her tired arms protesting at the harsh treatment, but she ignored them as she finally managed to climb high enough to make it back onto the inside of the bridge.

The walker lurched towards her, and without thinking she ducked to the side, hurrying under the edge of the beam and stumbling to her knees. She glanced around quickly and spotted Luke's machete, which she lunged forward to grab. She clambered to her feet as the walker finally turned, its dead eyes locked onto her. Clementine grimaced and held the machete out before her like a baseball bat. She waited only until the walker was within its range, before she slammed it hard into the side of its face. Blood spurted from the wound, but the walker merely turned back towards her, the damage not enough to finally kill the damned thing. Clementine tightened her grip, and swung again, this time slicing the machete through the walkers jaw and lodging it firmly into its throat. The walker tried to bite the blade, swinging its arms madly as it tried to grab or scratch her. Clementine noticed a strange noise, and realized it was her own fearful cries as she tried to fight the walker off. She threw her weight onto the machete handle, and forced the blade through the back of the walkers skull, causing it to shudder and fall to the ground at last.

She tore the machete back from the walkers throat as it fell, immediately setting it on the floor as she swapped it for a metal pipe she saw lying beside the railing. She ran back to the hole in the bridge floor, relief flooding her at the sight of Luke, still alive and apparently still calling her name fearfully, though she hadn't heard his cries over the adrenaline rushing in her ears from the fight for her life. She reached down, offering the pipe to him. He grabbed it from her hand, and set it firmly beside him, using it as a prop to turn himself over and finally get a foot beneath him. As soon as he put his weight on the foot, he released his hand and grabbed for the broken boards at the bottom of the bridge. Clementine grabbed his hands, pulling him up as the pipe shifted below, falling through to the river. Clementine refused to let go, pulling Luke upward as he hauled himself up to the bridge floor.

" _Clem!"_ Luke cried, pulling her against him as he finally knelt on the bridge beside her. She threw her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder. The use of her nickname, both old and new, from him after such a turbulent experience set her emotions to boil over, and she sobbed heavily at the realization that she had almost lost him. "Oh my god, Clem!" He said, rubbing his hands over her back and over her baseball cap as if to reassure himself she was really still there. Her cap eventually fell to the ground from the treatment, though neither was ready to let go yet to retrieve it."I saw you fall and... Oh my god, Clem, if anything happened to you, I would'a never forgiven myself..!" The moment dragged, her tears and his babbled admissions, both still caught in the turbulent emotional field of fear and joy. Finally Luke pulled back, his hands gripping her cheeks tightly as he ran his worried eyes over her face, making sure she wasn't hurt. "I am, so so, sorry Clem, I swear, I will never-"

Clementine shook her head, not wanting him to finish saying he would never put her in danger again. It wasn't a promise he could keep, nor one he should ever make in the first place, for she did not want to be treated any differently, to be coddled or held back. Luke shook his head in return, understanding in his eyes as he examined her again. He suddenly leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead as he tightened his arms around her briefly, and then released her so she could draw back and allow him to stand.

"Thanks Clem," he said, as he got to his feet. She smiled, finally feeling her pulse begin to even out as the fear at last began to ease. Luke was alive. She was alive. They would both survive another day. Luke scooped up her cap, and fitted it on her back onto her head, his hand resting atop it for a moment as he smiled down at her with evident relief. His eyes skimmed upward suddenly, and his expression hardened, as his gaze fell upon the bridge behind her. She turned, dislodging his hand as she did, and her own expression grew serious as she stared at the far end of the bridge. With so much having happened so close to where they had first entered the bridge, it seemed an awful long way to go without another incident occurring.

"Let's go." Luke said determinedly, and Clementine could only nod in agreement, her voice temporarily on strike. They walked carefully for a short time, slow and almost timid in their steps. Clementine found herself falling slightly behind as she stared out at the river. She could still see Luke trapped so far below, so close to falling to his death. It haunted her already, and she just knew that her nightmares tonight would contain new material. She came to a sudden halt when she collided with Luke's back, his hand coming to rest on her shoulder as if to keep her slightly behind him. She glared at him as she rubbed her nose a moment, and then peered around him, her eyes slowly widening as she realized why he had stopped. Perhaps her assumption that they would both live another day had been premature after all.

"You see them?" Luke murmured to her quietly, his eyes fixed on the approaching figure. Clementine watched them closely as they approached, noticing the calm but wary stance, the height that told her it was probably a guy and of course, most importantly, the rifle he carried.

"Yeah." She muttered back, nodding though she knew Luke wouldn't look away from the man who was slowly approaching them, as if concerned they were the potential threat.

"Just play it cool. And you do the talking." Luke said, his eyes still fixed ahead.

"What?!" Clementine squeaked, and though she was furious with herself for it, she could see the corners of his mouth curl. She narrowed her eyes, prepared to kick him at the first utterance of 'you're so cute' he might try to say. "Why me?"

"'Cause I don't wanna get in a fight." Luke said lightly, turning towards her with a grin. "You really think he'd shoot a little girl?" Clementine watched Luke face forward, and she couldn't help but wonder, would Carver shoot a little girl? The answer of course, she already knew just from her time alone with him at the cabin. She shuddered, and watched the approaching man like Luke did. "Just don't make any sudden moves..." Luke said suddenly, talking quickly and quietly from the corner of his mouth. "And, don't piss him off." He added dryly. Clementine almost grinned at the sound of expectation in his voice as he spoke, perhaps he was remembering her attitude with Carlos before they set out. "And... don't tell him anything." Clementine rolled her eyes as Luke continued to babble, wondering why he thought she would tell a stranger anything at all. She had refused to speak to  _him_  when they had first met, and he had been  _carrying_  her at the time. She smiled at the memory, though it quickly turned to a sulky scowl as she remembered his dropping her. She folded her arms over her chest and glared up at him. "You know, on second thought, maybe I should do the talking..."

"I'd shoot me..." Clementine muttered to herself.

"That's a hell of a thing to say!" Luke said, turning to her sharply. He rested his hand on her shoulder, as if to reconfirm she was really still there. Clementine felt bad for her attitude, as she caught the glimpse of fear and pain in Luke's gaze. She hadn't meant for her words to be overheard, and they weren't meant to scare Luke. It was more from the guilt of her past that she had said it. To protect others from her, others like Luke, she would rather die than endanger him as she had Lee. If it came to such a moment in her life again; she would sooner shoot herself, than have Luke die trying to rescue her, as Lee had. "If it came to that, I'd shoot him long before he got a chance." Clementine felt heat rise to her cheeks, and she dropped her eyes to the approaching man, as he came to a stop a short distance in front of them. She swore to herself, she would never let Luke be in a position to make such a decision over her. His concern for her made her feel warm, feel like bubbles were inside her just waiting to pop, and so she would never let himself endanger himself for her sake. She stepped around Luke, so the other man could see her better. For a moment, which felt like an eternity, all the three of them did was stare at each other. Clementine and Luke; and the new arrival opposite them. Clementine opened her mouth, sucking in a huge steadying breath to speak, but the other man finally beat her too it.

"Well, who are you?" Her breath came rushing out quickly, surprised by the direct, yet not hostile sounding question. She glanced up at Luke, unsure how to answer, or if she should at all.

"Well, who's askin'?" Luke asked, making Clementine giggle at the absurdity of the conversation already. She covered her mouth with her hand quickly, though she knew Luke would have noticed.

"I am." The man said, and Clementine found it hilarious that two grown men were so hesitant to actually answer each others questions. Her amusement dropped as she thought of Rebecca, and realized the consequences of revealing too much to the wrong person.

"Wanna, help me out here..?" Luke muttered to her.

"I thought you wanted me to let  _you_ do the talking after all?" Clementine quipped quietly, before stepping forward slightly and raising her voice, cutting off Luke's chance to reply, though she felt him affectionately cuff her shoulder instead. "I'm Clementine." She called, hesitating for a moment to see if the new man recognized her name. When it was clear he didn't, she took a leap of faith and continued. "And this is Luke."

"Clementine... and Luke." The newcomer said, as if tasting their names. Clementine winced at the thought, but shook it aside. It was no time to start thinking about the Dairy Farm Family. The man seemed to take his time, examining them and waiting to see if their temperament revealed themselves as he deliberated over them. The two of them waited patiently, in no hurry to offend. He slowly began to approach, closing the distance between them a little more as he deemed them either not dangerous, or at least as people he wished to talk to a little more. Clementine ran her eyes over him quickly, taking in the young face, with a hint of Asian heritage, the rough but clean and decent clothes. "Huh... You don't look like assholes. Are you assholes?" Clementine's eyes sparkled, immediately wanting to laugh at the opportunity. "No offense or anything; but you know how it is out here, you run into a lot of assholes..." The man quickly added, but Clementine had already decided what she wanted to say.

" _I'm_  not an asshole." She said, crossing her arms over her chest imperiously. She immediately began to laugh when Luke nudged her with his arm, knocking her slightly off balance as he then tickled her shoulder.

"Are you calling  _me_  an asshole?!" He cried, his voice raised in mock outrage. Clementine and Luke both laughed at each other, Luke shaking his head at her cheek still, and she knew he would no doubt get her back for it somehow later. As she heard the stranger join in, she knew they had won him over.

"You folks headed north, like everyone else?" He asked, closing the last of the distance between them. Up close he was easy to describe as young and handsome, and he was clearly a happy person, judging by his grin.

"Everyone else?" The humor was gone from Luke's tone, is concerns about Carver brought to the front of his thoughts again, Clementine could tell from his suddenly tense stance.

"I see at least one group a day move through here. You all look the same." He said, not noticing their sudden tenseness. Clementine felt a constriction in her chest, her eyes staring straight through the other man suddenly as she imagined Christa making it across herself.

"Have you seen someone named Christa?" The question burst forth from her suddenly, and she felt the nervous energy inside her at the thought she might finally know what happened to her once friend.

"Christa?" He asked, thinking briefly. "Maybe."

"Really?" Clementine breathed, her hopes soaring. The other man seemed to realize and shook his head softly, raising a hand as if to erase his words.

"Nah, I mean... A lot of people come through here." He said, his eyes sad as they seemed to apologize for giving her false hope. "I don't know." Clementine's heart sank, and she looked down to hide the building tears in her eyes. A warm weight settled on her shoulder, and she covered it with her own hand, squeezing gently. She glanced up at Luke to see him wink down at her, smiling as if to tell her to keep hoping. She took a deep breath and smiled, dropping her hand as she willed herself to believe that Christa had made it. "I gotta say, you two look like shit. If you need food, I've got some canned stuff in that station back there." He said, gesturing to the small cabin Clementine had spotted through her binoculars at the far side of the bridge.

"Well, that's uh... awful nice of you..." Luke said, his hands going to his hips as he stared at the other man. "What's the catch?" He asked suspiciously. Clementine almost rolled her eyes, but then reconsidered, knowing how much was at stake meant you could never be too careful.

"No catch." The man said, smiling at Luke despite his scowl and his attitude. Clementine was beginning to like this guy, he seemed to be genuinely kind, and happy. A rare thing in the world they now lived in. "I've got plenty."

"Well, all right then... Thank you." Luke said, his wariness finally thawing out to a friendly attitude. Clementine let herself roll her eyes this time, pleased they were finally getting along together.

"Hey, no problem." Said the smiling stranger, his happiness just to help others made Clementine's heart swell. She had thought the world had killed off all such friendly people. "Nice running into friendly faces out here." He said, turning his smile towards her. "Like I said, I've got food and supplies back in the station." He added, turning back to Luke. "And if... you... want..." He trailed off, his eyes widening as he caught sight of something behind them. "What the  _fuck_  man?" Clementine's happiness turned to ice, and she felt the dread of some imminent disaster settle in her heart.

"What the  _hell_ is he doin'?" Luke muttered, and though she  _really_  didn't want to, Clementine felt herself turn to see what was behind them. Her heart sank further, as she caught sight of Nick just a short ways behind them, his rifle raised and ready as he stared wide eyed at them. "No, no, no, no! He's wi- he's with us!" Luke said loudly, his hands raised before him in an attempt to calm the stranger, who Clementine saw, as she faced forward again, had also raised his weapon. His friendly face was now clouded with suspicion. "Nick! No!" Luke shouted, turning back to his friend and waving his hands frantically. Clementine gasped as she realized that one or both of them were about to fire, and a life might be lost. Her eyes landed on the gun before her, and she made to move towards it, intending to throw the aim off so Nick wouldn't get his stupid ass shot. She took no more than a single step, before a crushing weight suddenly struck her, forcing her to the ground. A second later, the blast of a gun shot echoed in the air around them, closely followed by the desolate sound of Clementine's devastated and distraught, broken screams.


	14. Forgiveness

_Clementine tucked her legs beneath her, holding tightly to the rope as she stared at the ground swaying beneath the toes of her small feet. She quietly watched the ground, the way it seemed to rise towards her as the swing carried her forwards, and how it seemed to recede as she in turn swung back again. Her mind churned, thoughts and feelings tangled together beneath her frizzy head of hair. It would normally be contained beneath her favorite cap, which her father had given her one year for her birthday, but the cap was still missing, and so it now blew freely in the breeze as she moved._

_"How're you holding up, Clementine?" Lee asked, his voice quiet as he softly rested his hand on her shoulder blades and gently pushed her forward once more. Clementine sighed, blinking slowly as she tried to decide how to answer._

**_"_ Clementine...! Jesus, I can't..."**

" _I'm okay, I guess..." Clementine replied, deciding not to burden Lee with her troubles. Lee was always so worried about her, always looking out for her. She wanted to do the same for him for once, so he wouldn't worry so much about her. "Are you okay?" She asked, parroting his question back to him._

_"You're still as sweet as always Clementine, but you don't need to worry about me," Lee said, the soft touch of his hand on her back continuing to push her gently. "Sweet pea, why don't you tell me what's bothering you? You might feel better afterwards..." He urged._

_"What makes you think I don't feel fine as I am?" Clementine asked, wincing at the unintended snap to her tone. Lee merely chuckled at her, and she felt the ghost of a pat to her head when she swung backwards to him, before he pushed her forward once more._

**"Clementine...! ...please..."**

_"You're like an open book Clem, far too easy to read." He teased, clearly amused with her. "You're carrying a lot of weight on those little shoulders of yours just now, why not let me help you, if I can?" Clementine considered, thinking perhaps it would be best to share the thoughts swirling in her mind. If anyone could help her, it would be Lee._

_"I guess..." She hesitated, uncertain where she should begin at all for a moment, before she decided to just jump straight into it. "Lee, how come good people do bad things? How come I can never..." She asked, her voice breaking towards the end of her question, though the thought continued in her mind; 'how come I can never be good enough to stop the bad things?'_

_"Aw sweet pea, sometimes its not anybodies fault that a thing happens; be it either good or bad." Lee said, his calming voice washing over her and easing the pain in her heart. "It's not your fault, and its not anybody else's fault that bad things happen... Sometimes, there are moments when we have to act, or we feel like someone we care about is in danger. Sometimes, appearances are deceiving, and what we thought was a very real threat, was just... our fears getting the best of us. Everyone makes mistakes Clem, but you can't blame yourself, or even anyone else; I promise you they'll blame themselves enough without you doing it too!" He added jokingly, eliciting only a small memory of a smile from her lips._

**"What the hell else can I do exactly?"**

_"Clementine, there are many things in this world that a person can do wrong... but to protect a loved one? Well, you have to sometimes redefine the lines of right and wrong. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment... we just act from the heart, and its only after that we realize we maybe acted too fast... And, we just have to live with that, and learn from it." Clementine slowly looked up from the ground, raising her eyes to see the sun setting over the fields ahead of them._

**"Oh?! Well if you know so much, why don't you try?!"**

_"Lee?" She asked tentatively._

_"Yes, sweet pea?" Lee replied, his gentle push to her back seeming to reach something deeper inside her this time._

**"I swear, if she doesn't snap outta this soon..."**

_"Thank you Lee." She said, as she swung her feet forward, propelling herself further through the air as she swung up and away from Lee. She heard his light chuckle from behind her, though it seemed to come from awfully far away._

**"... never forgive you..."**

_"Any time, Clementine." He whispered, though she could still hear him, as though he were right beside her. "Always."_

"Dammit Nick! I told you not to shoot!" Luke cried, sounding practically frantic as he paced a deep path into the ground. Clementine blinked, realizing she had been staring blankly at the same point of emptiness ahead of her for some time, as her eyes felt dry and gritty. She tried to focus, to understand what was happening around her, but she felt like she was just waking up from a dream, something that had drained her and left her confused.

"How was I supposed to hear you?!" Nick retorted stubbornly, defiantly defending his actions. "You gave me a clear shot!" Clementine tried to think, to remember what it was they were arguing about. She had a deep sense of dread, of something she really didn't  _want_ to remember, but that she needed to. She waited, and thought, as Luke paced and Nick glared, and slowly, her memory came into shape. It felt fuzzy to her, like it was something she had seen on a projector in her school, so long ago. Old and grainy, seen but not experienced, and she stared at the ground as she tried to work her way through the jelly-like memory.

The shot had rung out loudly, cutting through the silence of the air around them like a sledgehammer. The weight pinning her to the ground was Luke, his body shielding her should Nick's terrible aim put her in its cross-hairs. She could remember feeling fear, that he would be hurt in her place, possibly even killed. But seconds later, he was looking up, towards the man who had been offering them help. Clementine's vision moved, and her eyes took in the blood before anything else. Her screams began, as the man stumbled, pointlessly trying to stop the rapid loss of blood from his neck.

Her screams only got worse, as his face twisted, pain evident as he tried to speak, to call for help. The realization that this was something a friend of hers had done to another person, a person who was kind and friendly and had laughed at her teasing Luke, had tormented her almost as much as the mans agonized expression. He stumbled further from them, towards the edge of the bridge, and for a moment, he teetered there, as if he would regain his balance and somehow everything would be alright again. But seconds later, he was gone. She remembered Luke calling to her, trying to calm her as she fought him, clawing at him in an attempt to follow the man, to try and save him. But then, the dawning truth of his death eventually rendered her motionless, and emotionless. Lost in the void of her tormented thoughts and fragmented feelings.

"Luke..?" Her voice sounded strange, small and fragile, much more childlike than she remembered it being. Luke's reaction to the sound of her voice was immediate though, he spun around and stared at her, his relief practically rolling off him in waves. Within a heartbeat he was crouched before her, his hands cupping her face as he shook her gently.

"Do  _not_  do that to me again," he scolded her, suddenly yanking her towards him and crushing her in a distraught embrace. Clementine wrapped her arms around his shoulder, her eyes burning at the realization that she had been lost within her own mind for longer than she had thought. "Please..." He whispered, and Clementine squeezed her arms tighter around his neck, as she noticed the faint tremble in his voice.

"I'm sorry." She whispered in reply. "I promise." Luke drew back, his eyes exploring every inch of her as if to make sure she was really back with them all. His thumb ran across her cheek beneath her eye, and she realized she had been crying without noticing. Finally seeming satisfied that she was really back to herself, Luke sighed heavily, the tension finally leaving his shoulders as he slumped his head forward to rest against her own. Clementine rested one hand over Luke's on her cheek, while her other gently jabbed at his shoulder, making him grunt lightly in mock pain.

"Clem, I-" Nick began uncertainly, but was immediately cut off.

"Don't you think you've done enough to the girl?" Carlos barked, his voice both stern and furious, immediately irritating Clementine from the assumption that she would want him to fight her own battles for her.

"Don't yell at Nick," she said, raising her head to glare at the man. Nick's downtrodden, bleak expression made her both sad and mad together, but she forced herself to remain calm enough to voice her thoughts clearly, without being written off as being emotional. "He didn't do anything wrong." Luke dropped his hand from her cheek, sighing as he leaned backwards on his feet. Clementine was almost certain she heard him muttering something about being 'too kind for her own good' but, she didn't spare him a glance, as she looked around and noticed everybody was there, and they were all watching her with varying forms of disbelief.

"Clem, hunnie..." Rebecca began, as Carlos also attempted to voice his opinion.

"Clementine, I think-"

"No." Clementine cut of the many attempts to sway her, raising a hand to fend off all their speeches so she could finished her own. "Would you have done different Alvin, if it were Rebecca on that bridge, and you thought she was in danger?" Alvin started guiltily, and then shrugged non-noncommittally, glancing down as he hugged his wife to his side. Pete didn't even appear to be surprised by her question, but rather that he had been expecting it. He watched her quietly with his arms folded across the top of his crutch and a small curl to his lips, occasionally glancing at his nephew from the corner of his eyes. "Would you Carlos, if it had been Sarah?" Clementine looked around the group, noticing Carlos struggling with himself to find a way to argue his point, but failing miserably. She saw Nick, who was watching her confusedly, uncertain if even he should be worthy of her defense. "In the heat of the moment, we do what we think is best to save those we love. We have to live with our actions, and learn from them." Clementine said quietly. She finally looked at Luke, and noticed he was shaking his head slightly, a soft grin curling across his face.

"You have a big heart Clementine, and a lot of sense in that pretty little head of yours." Pete said, grunting slightly as he shifted his weight and shuffled forward with his crutch. When he was close enough, he gently rested his hand on her head, smiling at her warmly. "I thank our lucky stars we ever met you, little lady." Clementine grimaced momentarily.

"Even for the shed?" Pete outright laughed at her half serious question, effectively diffusing the remaining tension around them. Clementine finally broke into a smile herself, relieved that the group had heard her, and understood her.

"Especially for the shed, you showed us just what you were made of that night Clementine." Pete replied. "I think you make quite the first impression, and a brilliant addition to our family." Clementine beamed at him, pleased that she wasn't the only one who saw them all as one large, if somewhat dysfunctional family. Pete removed his hand from her head, and gestured to the others, effectively disbanding the group, as they all began to wander slightly away from where Clementine remained perched on a large fallen tree.

"Clementine?" Luke's quiet voice drew her attention, and as Clementine met his gaze, she returned his large grin with one of her own. "You're one of a kind Clem, you know that, right?" He asked, shaking his head slightly.

"What can I say?" She replied, shrugging her shoulder's slightly. "I try."

"Don't I know it!" Luke laughed, as he finally got to his feet. He stretched out a hand to help her up from her seat, and she took it gratefully. "Just, like I said... don't ever scare me like that again." Clementine just nodded, reaffirming her promise. "I mean the whole gun grab thing too, ya know?" She rolled her eyes and mock saluted him, which earned her a light scuff to the head. She laughed, and Luke seemed to finally relax again, reassured she wasn't going to disappear back into her private mental fortress. Clementine looked around, for the first time noticing they were no longer on the bridge. She glanced over her shoulder and realized they were camped just outside of the small cabin the man on the bridge had told them he was staying in. She repressed a shudder at the memory of his dying face, forcing herself to keep her mind in the present, knowing there was nothing she could do for the past.

She saw Rebecca sitting on the tree a short way down from where she herself had been sat, with Alvin standing beside her like a guard in a prison, and Sarah sat by her feet. Carlos had stormed over to nearer the bridge exit, just inside the treeline surrounding the cabin, where he hovered and glared at the rest of the group menacingly, or at least it seemed so in Clementine's personal view. Pete hobbled his way over, leaning heavily on his make-shift cane. Pete seemed to be trying to talk to Carlos, but the other man was clearly doing his best to be stubbornly unresponsive as much as possible. Nick sat just outside the cabin, his rifle leaning against the wall as he hung his head in his hands and stared at the ground. Clementine could feel his confusion and pain, the memory of her own brief inability to process still fresh in her mind. She glanced up at Luke and saw his narrowed eyes locked onto Carlos.

"Go, straighten him out." She said quietly, locking eyes with him briefly as he glanced down at her. "I got things here." Luke hesitated a moment, perhaps uncertain of her strength to carry the others after losing herself, but when she smiled and nudged him with her foot to his ass, he merely grinned and shook his head, before following her advice and ambling over to where Carlos and Pete were stuck in their argument. Without hesitating herself, she turned to Nick, intending to stop him from investing too much into his pity party that he became completely useless to them all.

"Hey..." She called softly, as she reached him. He didn't even glance towards her, so focused on his vacant staring as he was, but after a moment, he sighed and ran his hands over his eyes as he sat back.

"Thanks for standing up for me back there..." He said, though he seemed confused as to whether he had deserved her help. Clementine waited, shifting slightly in uncertainty about whether he needed to say anything more. He smiled an almost non-existent smile at her and then turned to stare at the group of men, arguing quietly away from everyone. Clementine glanced over her shoulder at them. Pete looked frustrated, and very tired. Her heart welled for him, at the thought of the pain he was silently enduring while he tried to keep up with everyone, and at the thought of the pain he was suffering in his heart, over his nephews fate. Carlos looked irritated, though Clementine couldn't see any difference in that to any other time she had ever seen him. She almost grinned when she glanced at Luke though, seeing his clearly pissed off face and the fact that Carlos just wasn't taking notice of it. She half hoped he finally snapped at the other man and let rip what he really thought of his stifling need to control everyone, but she knew he kept a tighter leash on his emotions than she did herself.

"I'm sure they're talkin' about me right now..." Nick muttered, sounding forlorn over the very idea. "'Luke, he is becoming a danger to the group!'" Clementine burst out laughing at his so accurate, near perfect imitation of Carlos's accent, turning to find him looking pleased by the fact she was laughing. She took it as a positive sign that she'd be able to snap him out of his depression easier than she had first anticipated, and hopefully with less shouting or bugs needed. The humor faded from his face slowly, as he cleared his throat and glanced back at the ground. "So, who was that guy?" Clementine felt her smile drop suddenly, and Nick hastened to try and apologize.

"Clem, I- I'm so sorry..!" He stammered, reaching out to take her hand gently, though he squeezed it tightly as he stared at her. "I never meant to hurt anyone, 'specially not either of you; I just... I swear, it looked like he was holdin' you guys up and I just, I panicked man, I couldn't think past the fact that you two were facin' the barrel of a gun... I just, I couldn't..." Nick swallowed heavily, and Clementine felt her heart pang painfully, even as she held back a sigh. Why was it that she felt everyone's pain so acutely and was so sympathetic to them all? Nick looked so intense as he stared at her, Clementine felt her cheeks begin to warm under his gaze. "I'm so sorry Clem, I just couldn't stand to lose you, both..."

"It's okay Nick," she said quickly, trying to ignore the way his words seemed awkward, like he hadn't wanted to confess it at all but desperately wanted her to know that she and Luke meant almost as much as his uncle Pete did, perhaps equally as much even. "Like I said, you only wanted to keep us safe. Anyone else would have done the same..." She smiled as he released her hand, and tried to think of how to describe the man on the bridge. "He was... nice, I guess. Just a guy..." She trailed off, uncertain what else to say about a man she hadn't really known. She forced herself to block out that last image she had of him, and remembered only the man who had laughed at her implying Luke was an asshole.

"Yeah..." Nick muttered, before he sighed heavily as he reached back scrubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "If Alvin is in front of me, he takes that shot... but because it's me, it's all so..." He dropped his hand and sighed again as he tried to find the words. "It's such a fuckin' mess..." Nick stared off at his uncle Pete for a moment, his eyes clouding over slightly. "Maybe I am losing it... I don't know anymore." He breathed, as if he hadn't intended for Clementine to overhear him. She reached forward unthinkingly, and grabbed his hand.

"No, you're not." She said firmly, forcing him to meet her eyes. Their caps were practically peak to peak as she made sure he met her eyes and that he believed her words, before she released his hand. "You protected your family Nick, that isn't wrong. Were you a touch hasty? Sure, but better that than wrong and letting your friends and family die... Okay, so we wouldn't have this time; but you didn't know that and you acted to save us. Next time just, ask first, okay?" Nick stared at her like she was crazy, but he swallowed heavily and nodded despite his wide eyed staring.

"Yeah... yeah..." He murmured, before he cleared his throat and shook his head, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips, before he rubbed his stomach dramatically. "Man, I'm hungry. What time is it anyway?" He looked down at his wrist, and the smile died from his face, as he balled his fist and slammed it into his leg. "Damn, damn!"

"What's wrong?" Clementine asked, concerned that perhaps Nick was a little more unhinged than she had believed. She watched him shake his head and then look over to his uncle, where he still stood arguing with Carlos, though he leaned a lot heavier on his make shift crutch than he had before. Clementine made a mental note to go get him soon and force him to sit, if he didn't start looking a little better.

"I left my watch back at the cabin..." He said, finally dropping his head to his hands and rubbing his eyes despondently. "It was Pete's, he gave it to me... I don't wear it too much anymore, for fear of losin' it during a walker attack or somethin'... Ironic, huh?" He glanced up at his uncle again. "I guess I'm just bein' sentimental... better to still have uncle Pete than some dumb watch anyway." Clementine scuffed her foot uncomfortably and fought not to fidget too much. Though her feelings towards Nick had changed drastically, she had never found an opportunity to return Nick's watch after the night she had first arrived, and it had remained stuffed in the bottom of her belongings in her one drawer at the cabin. When they had been packing up, after Carver's sudden arrival and before they had rescued Nick and Pete from where they had been forced to shelter from the walker's, she had made sure to pack it into her backpack. She figured this was finally the chance she needed to return it.

"Here," she said, dropping her bag from her shoulders and rummaging inside for a moment. When she drew out her hand, the gleaming watch she had pilfered as punishment for his harsh treatment of her the night she arrived at the cabin was held tight between her fingers. Nick's face broke out in a delighted grin, as he glanced up at her briefly, before reaching forward to gently take the watch from her hand. "When we were packing up, I checked your room and found it... I figured you would might want it..." She said, only feeling slightly bad for the half lie, though she felt relieved that she could finally return it to him.

"Thankyou, Clementine." Nick said, his voice breaking slightly as he strapped the watch into place on his wrist. She smiled and stowed the small amount of guilt she felt deep in her heart, pleased she had at least set things right. "Ya know what? I'm gonna go talk to them..." He said suddenly, getting to his feet with a determined air about him. Clementine was pleased to see Nick truly seemed to be feeling better, and he seemed to be more himself again. He scuffed the cap on her head as he passed her, and she corrected it as she scowled after his retreating back. She smiled when she saw Luke wink at her discreetly, knowing he was pleased she had helped his friend regain his sense of self. Pete smiled at her, gratitude pouring from his eyes as he saw his nephew approach with a determined set to his shoulders which had previously been missing. Nick had finally woken up, and Clementine was pleased to have been around to see it. She watched as he gestured to his uncle and then back to the small cabin, clearly not impressed that the old man was still stuck standing on one foot and his pitiful crutch when there were places they could talk while he rested. Pete and Nick were soon caught in a battle of wills, and Clementine chuckled to herself as she shuffled over to the others.

"That was so cool..." Sarah whispered loudly, being nowhere near as discreet as she clearly thought she was. Clementine grinned and raised a brow, examining the awe-struck gleam to the other girls eyes. She felt her cheeks warm slightly, and she shrugged her shoulders to try and ease the sudden awkward feelings threatening to swamp her. "How did you manage to do all that?! I could never have helped like that..." Clementine frowned, not sure why the girl suddenly sounded so melancholy.

"Why not?" She asked, spreading her palms before her as she crouched beside the other girl. "I mean, it's not something I really thought about. You just say what's in your heart, and sometimes, it just reaffirms what someone already knows. Like Nick; the only thing he was thinking at the time was, 'what if something happened to my friends?' How is that any different from your dad protecting you?" She paused, frowning again as she tilted her head contemplatively. "I mean, I don't like what happened, there are a lot of things we all could have done differently to save that guy... but would I sacrifice anyone of you guys to do it? No, because that's what family does; they protect each other." Sarah stared at her in awe, clearly not having expected such a reply.

"So, if we're all like, one family..." She asked slowly, lowering her eyes as she played with her shoelace. "Does that make us... like, sisters..? I always wanted a sister..." Clementine hesitated, watching Sarah as she determinedly stared at her own feet, even as her cheeks turned pink.

"I guess it kinda does." She said finally, gently resting her hand on the other girls shoulder. Sarah peeked up at her, a shy smile growing slowly. Clementine smiled in return, and felt a giddy laugh bubbling in her throat. She felt lighter than she had for some time, as if this small choice to make Sarah happy, had also helped herself. It was true, she had wanted a sister growing up, but the thought hadn't passed through her mind since some time before she had even met Lee. She opened her mouth, but just as she was about to speak, a voice cut her off.

"Hey Clem, you got any of the travel food left to eat? Bec's dyin' here..." Alvin called, sounding more than a little concerned about his wife. Rebecca threw him a withering glare and huffed indignantly.

"Alvin, I told you, I'm fine." She protested, though Clementine could see that she wasn't doing so well. From her time traveling with Christa, she knew this would only get worse, and she felt a flare of annoyance that Rebecca was so determined to keep her condition a secret. It wasn't just herself she was endangering now.

"Sorry," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm out."

"Wish we still had those juice boxes..." Alvin muttered, and though Clementine was sure he didn't mean to be overheard, let alone for the comment to sound so much like a dig at her, she felt slightly guilty, knowing she had drank her own fair share of the small delicious cartons.

"Yeah, me too!" Sarah sighed, her shoulders sagging dejectedly. Clementine frowned at a surfacing memory, a smiling face offering food and shelter.

"That... man..." She hesitantly began, biting her lip a moment before she hurriedly gestured towards the small cabin, her words flowing in a fluid gush. "Said he had some food in the station..."

"Mind checkin' it out?" Alvin asked, oblivious or possibly just ignorant of her discomfort. "Maybe we could spend the night here..?" If Clementine were to answer quite frankly, it would be to say, with several of Lee's most choice swear words; that she would rather amputate her own face, than have to go rummaging around in the belongings of a man whom she was at least in part, responsible for the death of. However, she felt that her response would be in bad taste to Pete, and Lee's memory, as well as perhaps slightly too disturbing a mental image for Rebecca and Sarah, not to mention herself. "I mean, I don't really wanna have to unpack our own food, if it turns out there's some just lyin' around..."

"Sure," she said simply, keeping her inner demons and unsettled feelings to herself. She watched as Alvin seemed to almost deflate with relief, as he turned and sat beside his wife on the fallen tree.

"Thanks, Clem." He said, wrapping his arm around his wife and gently kissing her hair. Clementine frowned, watching them for a long moment. She had seen Christa and Omid behave this way, before she had gotten him killed of course. She felt the stab of guilt for his death profoundly sharp in her heart, but she forced herself not to show her internal misery, instead watching the married couple before her. They seemed to be so in tune with each other. Alvin was so loving, and Rebecca so devoted to her husband, she couldn't understand what had led her to be intimate with Carver.

Realizing she was staring at the couple in what was probably a rather creepy way, she turned and headed towards the small cabin. She held her breath as she approached, almost expecting the man from the bridge to suddenly rush out at her, ready to exact his revenge upon her. It was with no small amount of trepidation that she approached the cabin door, her heart racing through fear and paranoia over the murdered man on the bridge. She felt her brow and palms grow damp, her hands shaking as she reached towards the door knob. With a deep breath that rattled past her clenched teeth, she forced her hand to turn the knob, and open the door.

Stale air greeted her, the kind of warmth that a full day of burning hot sunshine through closed windows created. She propped the door open with an old bucket she saw tucked away behind it, and then proceeded to open all the windows. Whether they stayed the night or just for a few hours while they rested and ate, the place needed some fresh air before they could use it. When she felt the small space was sufficiently aired, she took a deep breath, and began a more thorough examination.

She noted the long shelf across the entire midsection of the far wall, decorated with what appeared to be litter and a lamp at one end. She swept her eyes to the small cot bed, which she supposed would please Alvin as it would give Rebecca somewhere to rest properly, provided it would hold her weight. Clementine frowned at it for a moment, before she nodded. It would hold.

She turned to look directly opposite the tiny bed, where just in front of the window there lay a large chest, and a stack of empty cans. Without even wasting her energy, she could tell the chest was locked, and she hazarded a good guess that the key would have gone over the side of the bridge with its owner. With a sigh, she hunkered down on the balls of her feet, picking up a can and then throwing it away in annoyance upon recognizing that it was empty. As she got to her feet, her eyes settled upon the shelf beside her, and she felt a wave of awe, as she realized that it wasn't  _all_ litter that rested upon it.

She picked up the knife with almost reverence, such was its beauty. She had never thought of any weapon as anything other that just 'useful' but something about this knife spoke to her. She ran her finger softly over the large initials carved into the sheath, its only flaw in her opinion.  **WM**. She wondered if that had been the mans initials; or had he stolen it since the world around them all had died..? There would be no way for them to ever know now.

She gently pulled it from its sheath, and stared at its sharp blade. She quickly flicked it over and made a practice swipe through the air, testing the blades weight and motion. Satisfied, she nodded and made to re-sheath it, before hesitating. She glanced down at the chest, and hefted the blade in her hand a moment, before she crouched down on her knees and scooted as close to the chest as she could get.

With only a moments pause, she jammed the blade between the lock latch and the chest, pressing with her weight once she felt the blade lock into place. She twisted and jimmied, and finally crowed with success, as the lock eventually swung open. With a grin reminiscent of the proverbial cat who got the cream, Clementine quickly stowed the knife back into its sheath, and stashed it in her backpack, before eagerly reaching forward and slowly lifting the chest lid. She wasn't sure whether to be relieved, or disappointed.

Inside was only a small stash of books, and two tins of unopened peach segments. She set the chest lid against the window sill, staring at the meager contents hidden within. Such simple treasures, in a world where they such things were hardly thought of anymore. She gently reached inside and picked up the top book of the small pile which bore the title; The Wizard's Gambit. She turned it over in her hand, examining the cover both front and back, before deciding it didn't interest her enough to warrant taking up valuable space in her backpack. She was just about to drop it back onto the pile, when she suddenly thought of Sarah. The first time they had met, Sarah had been nose deep in a book. With a sigh, she tucked the book under her arm and with her other arm, reached in to collect the two cans of peaches.

As she got to her feet with her haul, she heard the sound of approaching footsteps outside the station. The door swung open, a faint click the only warning she would have had, should the person entering have been hostile. Luckily for her, it was Alvin who walked through the door, though from his grim expression, she couldn't tell if that was such a good thing at the moment.

"Man, and I thought we had it bad..." The large man muttered quietly, slowly walking towards Clementine as he shook his head sadly. "Look at this dump." He came to a stop before her hands, eyeing the cans with a triumphant gleam in his eyes. Clementine half wished she could hide her hands, but ultimately decided it would be a pointless effort at this point, the damage was done, and Alvin wasn't likely to un-see what he had seen. "Guess he did have food..." He said, raising his hand as if to take the cans from Clementine. "Man, fuck Nick!" Clementine frowned, as Alvin dropped his hand and shook his head, staring dejectedly at the opposite wall. "Nick was a good guy," he added quietly, turning his gaze through the window to watch the other men of the group arguing among themselves. "He's still a good guy, he's just losin' it..."

"Nick was trying to protect us..." Clementine began, meaning to defend her friend. But the words stuck in her throat, for although Nick's intentions had been pure, a man was dead. As if hearing her thoughts, Alvin continued.

"That doesn't give him any excuse to go shootin' up strangers!" He said hotly, his usually happy and friendly face morphing into an angry scowl. "Someone is dead. Now; I ain't no judge, but that's straight up murder in my book. I mean, you ever know anyone do a thing like that?!" Clementine was struck suddenly with the memory of Carley, seconds before Lilly had put a bullet in her head. She winced, almost hearing the gun blast like it was held pressed against her ear.

"Actually, yeah..." She admitted quietly. Alvin had the grace to look embarrassed that he had asked such a question at all, especially considering he had received an answer he neither expected nor really wanted.

"No shit..." He murmured, looking anywhere in the room except for at Clementine. If it weren't such a horrifying memory she were recalling, she felt sure the entire situation would seem ridiculous and hilarious. "What happened?"

"A woman in our group." She said wearily, suddenly feeling an ache in her chest at the thought of the original group she had traveled with, those early days when the world was only just changed. When she had first met Lee. "Her dad... died. And then she just, shot this... other girl." Her throat felt tight at the memory; Carley defending Ben, Lilly turning the gun on her as her expression twisted with rage and hatred. Whether it was Carley she had been deliberately aiming for, or whether it was Carley saving Ben; Clementine would never know for sure. Lee had been the one to react; the one to confront Lilly about her actions. He had also been the one to teach her; despite your personal feelings, a life is a life and nobody deserves to be murdered in cold blood, regardless of their actions. If you are forced to kill in self defense, well that's a different matter; but still something to be avoided if it was at all possible.

"Damn..." Alvin breathed, now staring at her avidly. She wasn't entirely sure this was an improvement on his so staunchly  _avoiding_  looking at her, and she shifted in embarrassed discomfort. "What'd you do?"

"Well, my friend decided to forgive her." She said, smiling as she remembered Lee. Admittedly, he had been a little rough with Lilly right after she had shot Carley, but Clementine had come to realize the extent of the mans feelings towards the other woman since then, and understood it was to him, like losing his wife all over again.

"Huh." Alvin grunted, as if satisfied that this proved his point. Clementine hesitated, but reasoned that to hold back information was to lie, which was something that could get people killed. She sighed and hung her head as she continued.

"And then she stole our car, and all our stuff, and left us." She said in a rush, feeling her cheeks warm irrationally. She glanced up at Alvin to see him staring at her blankly. "In the middle of nowhere." She added, just in case the man had been curious. She felt a perverse sense of achievement, when Alvin had to physically shake himself from the mental picture she had painted for him.

"Oh..." He said, clearing his throat as he gestured roughly towards the canned goods in her hands. "She looks just like you." He said awkwardly. Clementine raised a brow, showing her own thoughts on his opinion. He chuckled a moment, before falling serious again. "Hey, Clem... There's, not a lot of food here, and Rebecca..." He trailed off, clearly not wanting to say anything his wife hadn't felt comfortable revealing.

"I know." She said suddenly, enjoying the momentary surprise and bewilderment in his expression, before she gestured towards where his wife sat outside. "I know she's pregnant."

"How-"

"One; because I am not an idiot, I have eyes and ears and I know how to use them the same as anyone else - don't assume because of my age that I always need adults to protect me from everything. Two; having traveled with Christa, I can recognize a pregnant lady who doesn't want people to know it. I even know she hasn't actually  _told_ you yet... and... I know why..." Clementine trailed off, hardening her heart to the look of heartbreak which flashed across the large mans face.

"How-"

"It's not for me to say anything either way; but you should really convince her to tell everyone that the two of you are expecting... It's dangerous to keep it a secret at this point..." Clementine said loudly, cutting off any further attempts to discuss the topic. Alvin stared at her, and she met his gaze determinedly. He nodded his head briefly, and cleared his throat, before turning the conversation back to the newly discovered food.

"Clem," he said, coughing loudly before continuing, "do you, think we could keep this just between us?" Clementine frowned, not understanding what he was asking, until he glanced down at the two cans in her hands. He was asking her to lie. Disgust swelled up, a bad taste in her mouth as she thought of lying to those around her, whom she called family. Sure, it might not be a big deal, considering the food they were all carrying with them anyway; but to lie now, was to find excuses to lie later. Whenever possible, unless in dire circumstance - like say, her encounter with Carver, the truth would save more lives than any lie.

"I won't lie for you Alvin, and you should know better than to ask me. There's no reason to lie to those people out there, our  _family._  If you and Rebecca had been honest in the first place, you wouldn't be hiding in here, trying to scam an extra two cans of fruit when you have a pack full of food on your own back..." Clementine fumed, giving vent to all her feelings of betrayal over his actions.  _"_ They aren't going to deny Rebecca extra rations you know, and don't you think Carlos should examine her anyway?! I mean, how irresponsible can you guys be?! That is a baby; a small person, and you've not even had the doctor in your group have a look to see if everything is even alright in there...! Granted, I think Carlos is about as much use as flies in summer, but still... You guys need to talk to each other and get your shit together, Alvin." In the pause that followed her tirade, Clementine could see a multitude of emotion pass over the older mans face. From shock, to disgrace, to fear, all the way back to shock again. He seemed uncertain which aspect of her sound telling off to actually focus on first.

"I'm sorry Clementine," he said at last, and Clementine blinked wide eyes at him in surprise. "I should never have asked you that... And you're right, about, well... everything. Me an' Bec, we need to have a discussion." He added, his voice growing louder and firmer as he spoke, his conviction growing with every word. Clementine suddenly felt awash with overwhelming guilt, almost to the point she felt sorry for Rebecca, but she quickly squashed the feeling. Rebecca had been irresponsible to hide her pregnancy through such conditions, and if her outburst brought them both to realize that, then she refused to feel bad about it. "God knows we're not perfect, hell... I'm glad you're with us, Clementine." Alvin said, resting his hand on the top of her cap gently. Clementine glanced up, and was met with a grin. She returned it with vigor, pleased that the large man didn't suddenly hate her for her outburst over things which really didn't concern her and were absolutely, certainly none of her business. Alvin scuffed her cap lightly, and she faked a scowl in response, before they both made towards the door.

"The hell is that..?!" Alvin muttered, as he suddenly came to a halt right in front of her, staring fearfully out the back window, which viewed the path they had followed across the bridge to reach the small cabin. Clementine frowned up at him, as she walked around his frozen position blocking the doorway. She turned to look out the window, and her heart dropped like the stranger had dropped off the bridge after Nick had  _accidentally_  shot him.

The shambling forms approaching could be only one thing; a hated and feared thing in the world they now lived in, perhaps even the only constant in the new world, which as Clementine thought about it, wasn't really half so new as she kept thinking it was anymore. She shook her head to clear it, and looked again at the approaching mob. They were mostly in one piece, which was something at least, and she flinched as she remembered the upper half creature she and Luke had seen on the far side of the bridge.

"Walkers..." She whispered. Things moved quickly from the moment the word slipped past her lips. Alvin swung the door open, hard enough to create a loud clang, as it banged against the outside wall.

"We got a problem here," he said loudly as he walked through, trying to get the attention of the group. His efforts were unnecessary it seemed, as the group were already heading towards them, with Nick helping Pete at the back. She glanced at Luke, who's eyes swept over her to make sure she was alright, before meeting her own worried gaze.

"Yeah, we saw it." Luke said, nodding to Clementine once he knew she wasn't hurt. He turned to the rest of the group, raising his voice so that they could all hear him over the growing noise of the approaching hoard, drawn by Nick's earlier gun blast. "All right, we're headin' up!" Alvin ran to his wife, grabbing her hand and pulling her close for a moment, before he began to lead her at a swift jog towards the path which would lead them up to the ski lodge at the top of the small mountain. The rest of the group followed in his footsteps, Nick helping Pete to hop along as quickly as he could. Luke glanced at Clementine, and she nodded, before he rushed to Pete's other side. He swung the mans free arm around his neck to match the one he had around Nick's neck, quickly tossing Clementine his makeshift walking cane, before Luke and Nick lifted Pete between them and began to run after Alvin and the others. Clementine brought up the read, knowing better than to glance behind them, as they pushed their way towards what they hoped would be their salvation.


	15. Holy Shit

Twilight was falling, by the time they finally made it to the top of the chair lift, with the Ski Lodge at last within their reach. Sure enough, a large plaque on the front wall declared the lodge as "Bryce Resort.' Clementine looked around, and saw that everyone was breathing hard from their exertions. While they hadn't run the entire distance, they had still traveled at a hard pace for several hours now, and they were all feeling the strain of such a hard push. Clementine still brought up the rear, making sure to check behind them every so often so they weren't surprised by anything, living or dead. Just ahead of her Luke and Nick were helping Pete up the steep hill, his continued grunts and curses almost comical to her by this point, even as the other two men bantered back grumpily that they could still leave his ass to climb the hill alone.

She looked a little further ahead of the bickering men, worrying her lip as she caught sight of Rebecca just breaking over the ridge of the hill. Alvin joined her a moment later, but from the way his wife scowled at him and pointedly rejected his hand when he offered it to her, Clementine hazarded a guess that he had told the woman of his decision to inform the group of their impending parenthood.

Clementine saw movement in the corner of her eyes, and her hand dipped to the knife at her waist instinctively, a warning cry ready on her lips. The warning died when she saw it was Sarah, waving happily at her from beside the lodge at the top of the hill. She rolled her eyes and reluctantly raised a hand in return, then darted her eyes behind them once more, before turning them to the ground and hurrying up behind the rest of her small group.

"Guys, we uh, we need to-" She heard Alvin begin uncertainly, but he was cut off as Carlos crouched beside the lodge and held out a hand without even looking to the other man. Alvin glanced at his wife, who folded her arms over her chest and shrugged as she frowned and looked the other way. Clementine frowned at both Carlos's rudeness, and Rebecca's indifference, irritated by the pair of the supposed adults.

"We need to be careful." Carlos insisted, removing his rifle from the holster on his back and aiming it ready around the corner of the building. Clementine felt her blood boil, that the older man felt he could so calmly order them all to do something they already knew to do, and in fact,  _were_ doing. She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at him, her foot tapping the ground angrily.

"Careful?" Rebecca scoffed, clearly also irritated by the other man. "We been on the road for too damn long, I am so  _done_  with being careful." Alvin made to squeeze his wife's shoulder, but the woman threw him a glare and moved out of his reach. Clementine felt her patience growing thin, her tight grip on her emotions and self control fading fast.

"Doesn't look like anybodies home..." Alvin sighed, walking along to peek through some of the boarded up windows of the lodge. He paused, attempting to pull one of the boards free from the glass doors on the balcony. "Damn, nailed down tight." Clementine rolled her eyes, wondering how a good thing like tight security measures could be taken as a  _bad_ thing. The group slowly spread out across the balcony, following Alvin's lead. Luke and Nick rested Pete against a balcony railing, allowing themselves a chance to stretch and breathe before they joined the groups search for an entry.

"Urgh, this is so stupid." She groaned, scuffing her foot against the ground in frustration. She glanced between Alvin and Rebecca, who had both turned around at her outburst. Alvin looked apprehensive, but Rebecca merely looked pissed and that was ultimately what pushed Clementine over the edge. "Ok, you know what, quit glaring at me you selfish bitch. I am  _not_ gonna be intimidated by your attitude and I am  _not_ just gonna keep putting lives at risk by letting you lie left, right and center." She fumed, feeling a vindictive kind of glee as Rebecca's face feel from angry to shocked so fast.

"Clementine! How dare you-" The older woman began, only for Clementine to raise a hand to silence her.

"Oh can it, how dare I? How the fuck dare  _you_?"

"Its nothing to do with you." Rebecca spat, her fury rising again. "It's not your fucking place to-"

"You're right Rebecca, its not my place, it's yours." Clementine acknowledged loudly, shrugging her shoulder free from the gentle hand which came to rest there. "But guess what? You chose not to, and that choice is  _putting your baby's life at risk!_ " She cried, her voice hoarse from the memories that were trying to surface in her mind. She shoved them away as hard as she could, telling herself she could grieve anew once she was finished making the foolish woman understand. Rebecca glared at her reproachfully, as a silence reigned around them, the air thick with the whirring of so many minds coming to the same understanding all at once.

"Er, what?" Luke nudged Nick with his elbow, the movement making Clementine jump as she had not noticed the two of them come to stand behind her. She glanced back to see Luke roll his eyes, while Nick merely frowned at the Rebecca, as Alvin came to stand with his wife, his arm light on her shoulder.

"Bec is pregnant Nick." Alvin clarified, his eyes fixed on his wife's unhappy form, as she folded herself into his side and tried to make herself small, seemingly deflated now that the truth was out. "We didn't say anything yet because, well..."

"Because you're stupid." Clementine snapped, refolding her arms over her chest as she glared at the couple. Rebecca threw the girl a glare of her own, one filled with hurt and anger.

"You should never have said anything. It wasn't your place to say anything Clementine." Rebecca spat. "I'm fine, and I would have told everyone when I was good and damn ready myself."

"Yeah, when? When you couldn't hide it anymore because you were big as a house? When you couldn't run anymore?" Clementine demanded. Rebecca stubbornly locked her jaw and looked away, and Clementine sighed as she dropped her arms, one hand removing her cap as the other scratched at her head. "Look, I don't care that you didn't tell them because it was, 'your choice as to when,' but you're travelling with a goddamn doctor Rebecca... You should at least have had him check you out, even if you didn't tell anyone else, because I  _know_ you love your baby."

"Of course I do! How could you even-"

"Because you don't know whether your baby is even alright in there Rebecca!" Clementine cried, as Rebecca rested a hand to her stomach, worrying her lip between her teeth. Clementine sucked in a deep breath, averting her eyes as she turned her head away from the couple ahead of her. "The woman I was with, who I lost the night I was attacked, just before Luke and Pete rescued me..?" She said hesitantly, glancing over briefly to be sure they were following her. She looked away quickly when she saw Alvin briefly nod. "When I first met Christa, she was pregnant. That was almost four years ago. You notice, I never mentioned we had a kid with us?" She said quietly. The group remained silent around her, and this time when the weight of a comforting hand settled on her shoulder, she did not shake it away, using its warmth to give her strength.

"What... happened?" Alvin asked cautiously, stroking his wife's back unconsciously as her free hand worked its way up to his jacket lapels.

"We didn't have a doctor travelling with us. It was just me and her... There was nothing we could do..." Clementine murmured, though she knew the whole group heard her. "I can't knowingly let that happen to someone else. What that did to Christa... I would have done anything, if it could have saved her that heart break..." Clementine glanced over to the married couple, her shoulders sagging as she suddenly felt exhausted with the whole conversation. "I'm gonna go look around. Do what you want, but don't waste the opportunity you have." Clementine shrugged her shoulders free of the reassuring weight on them, missing the warmth immediately as she turned and walked away from the group, her eyes lowered and her cap blocking her view of the pitying faces around her. She neither wanted nor deserved their pity.

She made her way to the far corner of the balcony railing, ignoring the group as they murmured among themselves and gave her the space she so clearly wished for. She stared out over the treetops, looking back at the darkening far side of the bridge they had crossed earlier that morning, as the darkness of her memories fought to break free.

"Hey," a warmth pressed against her side, as someone came to stand with her, and she was surprised and yet pleased to recognize it as the same warmth from her shoulder as she had spoken to the group. She kept her eyes locked on the far horizon as it slowly grew darker, refusing to let anyone see her tears. "You really gave them a lot to think about, ya know?"

Clementine frowned as the newcomer chuckled, the overwhelming guilt swimming to the surface of her heart almost smothering her until she couldn't take it anymore. "I lied." She said suddenly, almost gasping at the immediate relief she felt from her confession. When no comment was forthcoming, she glanced to the side, but all she found was a confused frown aimed towards her as they waited for her to continue. She sighed and turned back to the view before her, resting her head on her hands where they crossed over the railing. "It wasn't the lack of a doctor that caused Christa to lose her baby." Clementine took a deep breath and leaned back on her heels slightly, closing her eyes as she bore her soul. "It was me. It was all my fault."

"How can you-"

"I met Christa and Omid just before we hit Savannah." Clementine sighed, ignoring the question that had been aimed at her. "That place is cursed, it took and destroyed almost everyone I knew and loved. I mean, we lost others on the way obviously, but..." Clementine shook her head, trying to clear the static fuzz that seemed to be building between her ears. "We literally lost two people that morning and then there were these two, joining us in the afternoon. Omid was such a tool, but it was obvious that he adored Christa. I was only eight, but I could see how much he loved her even then." Clementine rambled, almost wistful as she got lost in her memories. The warmth at her side was a constant comfort, and she pushed on with her explanation. "She hid her pregnancy too..." She added vaguely, as an afterthought, as the sudden memory took her by surprise.

"After... after everything went down, w-with L... Lee..." Clementine paused, swallowing the thick lump of regret in her throat as she once more saw Lee chained to a radiator, his life leaving his eyes as he fell against it with a dull thud. She shivered, and the warm body beside her snaked an arm over her shoulders, drawing her closer to their side. "I ended up finding them both after that. One minute they were on the horizon, two scary figures who could have been anybody... Lee would have been so mad to know I didn't even try to run away or hide from them." She chuckled lightly, though there was no amusement to the sound. "Anyway, we stayed together after that. I don't know if Lee asked them to take care of me, but they did, and they never once asked me anything about what had happened. I always both appreciated and hated that fact." She sighed, shaking her head as she considered how scattered her thoughts were by this point. She tried to focus, staring out at the treetops so far away from her.

"Omid was a joker. He was joking with Christa when we came across an abandoned gas station one day. Christa was pretty far along by then, she was almost due and she was as big as a house. He was teasing her about naming the baby Omid if it were a boy and Christa if it was a girl." Clementine recalled, her voice quiet and as distant as the trees so far away. "None of us had been able to clean up for so long... They took the men's room, and trusted me to take care of myself in the ladies. Everything was going fine, I checked the place out, made sure no Walkers were hiding in the stalls and there wasn't anyone just waiting to ambush me." She sucked in a deep breath, the trees ahead of her fading away to the memory she was recalling.

"The stupid water bottle just, fell." She all but whispered, though the fury in her tone spoke volumes of her true feelings. "Rolled all the way under the furthest toilet stall... I went, and I got it... but, the stall door closed behind me, and as it did...  _she_ walked in." The vehemence and hatred in her voice almost scared her, she wasn't sure she could hold back from the pain of the memory if she let herself get so lost in her emotions already. "I swear Luke, I never meant to!" She whispered furiously, turning to grasp his jumper suddenly as she stared emptily at his concerned expression.

"I know Clem," he said softly, covering her hand with his own, even though he had no idea just  _what_ she hadn't meant to do. Clementine closed her eyes, her hand gripping tighter into the older mans jumper.

"I was scared, because I couldn't get back to my bag in time." She confessed, the turmoil of her emotions overwhelming her as the truth stirred her dormant guilt into a restless agitation. "She found my gun, Luke."

Luke's face was filled with a compassion she could not see, and would have felt too guilty to appreciate if she had. He gently tugged her closer to him, encompassing her in his warmth and just hoping that she understood that he wasn't judging her. "She... cost Christa the baby?" He asked gently, wincing at his own choice of words but unable to think of any better.

"You could say that I guess." Clementine scoffed, pushing herself away from Luke's warmth and kindness as she opened her eyes to glare at the ground. "She found me in the stall, threatened me. She wanted my hat, and I was too stubborn to give it to her..." Clementine's voice broke, her guilt eating away at her heart. "Omid... he must have heard something and sensed I was in trouble... He came in, so quietly. He gave me this look, and it was so full of surprise and... and disappointment." Clementine stifled a hiccup of a sob, forcing herself not to give in to her unstable emotions until she had finished her story. "She was so focused on going through my bag, she had  _my_ gun pointed at me, and I was just so scared. I knew not to be scared, I  _knew!_  But I just, stood there." Clementine's breath came faster, the words pouring out of her like poison from a wound.

"Omid, he was creeping closer to her, he was going to disarm her, save me... But the door... He turned at the sound, and so did she... she didn't hesitate to pull the trigger." Clementine gasped, feeling the wet tracks down her cheeks for the first time and entirely unable to recall when she had started crying. "He turned back to me so slowly, his hands were... covered in blood over his chest... and, he looked at me with these wide eyes, and I swear, I could see every regret in his eyes... How he wouldn't see his baby, how he couldn't be there for Christa anymore, how he was so scared that he was gonna turn and  _hurt_ them. Mostly I saw that he regretted ever coming in to rescue me."

"I don't believe that." Luke said firmly, giving her shoulder a small shake. Clementine hid her eyes beneath her baseball cap and refused to let his kindness ease her guilt.

"That's because you're a good person, Luke." She sighed. "Besides, even if Omid didn't hold me responsible for his death, Christa sure as hell did." Clementine raised her eyes to the horizon once more, almost expecting to see the other woman out there somewhere, waiting for her to catch up. "The girl was already panicking by the time Christa burst in. She looked down at Omid, and she turned to the girl as she started pleading and whining about how she, 'didn't mean to.' Christa didn't even blink, not even when the girl dropped the gun and raised both hands. Not even a second later, she pulled the trigger on Omid's rifle and..." Clementine trailed off, swallowing hard against the bitter taste in her mouth.

 _"Killing people changes you Clem, I don't want you to ever get used to it."_  Clementine said suddenly, raising her eyes to Luke briefly. She saw his confusion and his sympathy, and she wasn't ready to deal with the latter, so she launched into an explanation quickly, not noticing the small curl of her lip as she recalled Lee and his final lessons to her. "Lee told me that, just before he died. I said I shouldn't let him turn, he said I should never shoot unless I absolutely had no other choice. Because to take a life, a  _living_ life, was something he never wanted me to get used to. Because its different to killing Walkers, and you shouldn't ever come to a point where killing the living is ok... I think if I had said that to Christa then, she might have just shot me too. She was trying to make Omid answer her, trying to pretend he was just knocked out. She got so upset, crying and screaming for him to answer her."

Clementine paused, her eyes looking out to the wilderness before them but not seeing anything but the bloodstained tiles of a crappy gas station bathroom. "She looked at the gun the girl dropped, and I saw it in her eyes when she realized... She slowly looked up at me, and the hatred in her was, it was something that I had never seen aimed at me before. Never, and that's from someone who has been faced with people who wanted to eat her." Clementine huffed an un-amused laugh, her throat tight from the guilt and self loathing she felt. "Christa just, she broke down. Couldn't cope I guess, too much stress in too short a time or something... it... happened then." Clementine couldn't force the words past her lips, couldn't bring herself to say anything more about the woman who had stayed with her despite the fact she had cost the woman everything she had ever cared about.

"Clem, jeez," Luke murmured, his hand squeezing her shoulder slightly to get her attention. Clementine reluctantly met his eyes, and was surprised by the determination in them. "I am so sorry about what happened Clementine, I just, I wish that I had known you back then - and I could have saved you that pain. But Clem, you gotta understand; that shit wasn't your fault."

"Things were never right between Christa and I after that..." Clementine muttered, as if she hadn't heard Luke at all. "She blamed me, and I deserved her anger, I knew it. She hated me and I wished that it had been me instead of Omid becaus-"

"Don't you ever say that Clementine, or even think it!" Luke demanded, shaking her shoulder roughly. Clementine looked up, startled by his sudden flare of anger. "Clementine I am sorry for what happened, but I am gonna keep sayin' this until your goddamn stubborn head lets this is; it was  _not_ your fault. Sometimes shitty things happen in this world, in fact they happen a lot more often than I would like nowadays, but Clem you cannot carry the weight of every bad thing that happens. You were a kid, and a bad thing happened to you. A worse thing happened to someone else, but I bet you anything, if this Omid guy had the chance to tell you; he would never regret coming to rescue you."

"How do you know that?" Clementine whispered, biting her lip. "You didn't even know him."

Luke smiled and flicked her cap, "but I know you." He said, smiling warmly at her. "And I can guarantee you, there isn't a chance in hell that anyone would regret meeting you or helping you Clementine... Unless perhaps it had to do with locking you in a shed. In which case they would be very sorry." Clementine laughed against her will, a choked sound which brought more tears to her eyes than she would care to admit. She felt lighter than she had for years, and she realized that some of her guilt had left her at Luke's words. She only hoped she deserved such trust and forgiveness.

Clementine felt a warmth in her cheeks and pushed herself away from the reassuring warmth of Luke's presence beside her, scrubbing her eyes across her dirty sleeve as she sank down to lean on the rail, though the small smile on her lips gave away her changed mood. However, she had talked of the past long enough, and she felt awkward now for having told a second so intimate part of her history to the man. She frowned, and was about to ask him what it was about him that made her open up and share so easily with him, and also why he had never shared her previous confession with the group, but he cut her off when he changed the subject entirely. She couldn't decide if she was irritated or glad.

""Well, it'd be good to know if anybody's actually back there..." He said, gesturing to the trees across the river.

Clementine frowned and glanced up at him. "Do you really think they could have kept up with us, or found our trail yet? I mean, we covered quite a lot of ground with that car..." She said.

"One thing I do not ever wanna do, is underestimate the potential Carver has to completely fuck things up for everyone when you least expect him to." Luke scowled into the distance, as if he could see through the trees with his determination alone. Eventually he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. As he tilted his head back slightly, he suddenly settled his gaze on something just behind Clementine, gesturing with his elbow. "Could probably get a better view from up top. You'd have an easier time gettin' up there... you, feel like takin' a look?"

Clementine turned, frowning as she caught sight of a high platform at the top of the cable car wires. She turned back to Luke with a wide eyed glare. "What do I look like, a monkey?!" She asked sourly. Luke tried to fight off a smile, jostling her lightly with his arm.

"Hey, you said it, not me." He said with a wink. "Come on, it'll be jus' like climbin' a treehouse... Ya know, a really  _tall_ , treehouse. Made of steel..." Luke coughed and rubbed the back of his neck as Clementine continued to stare at him with an unimpressed glare. He wiggled his eyebrows towards the structure, and Clementine rolled her eyes even as she began to grin.

"You know, I used to have a treehouse..." She admitted, remembering the day she had met Lee yet again. "I almost killed Lee... I was gonna drop a hammer on his head as he passed, while I was hiding in it, back when all this began. I always hated it." She mused, meeting Luke's eyes again. The man looked rather lost for words, and Clementine couldn't help but laugh at him as he tried to think of something to reply with.

"Oh..." He finally said, rubbing his arm awkwardly for a moment before Clementine rolled her eyes again and stepped away from the rail, tugging his jumper lightly so they walked towards the tall ladder together. The walk was short, but it was in a comfortable, companionable silence. When they finally reached the ladder, Clementine tipped her head back, holding her cap to her head as she stared up to the platform high above her. She gulped, and wondered if this was one of the worst ideas Luke had ever had. Not that she intended to say anything to him, lest her eternally tease her for it.

"Just take it slow, and I'll catch you if you fall." Luke said comfortingly, as Clementine tried to get a grip on her self control. "Probably." She turned and whacked his arm, pretending to frown at him and fighting a smile as he laughed, understanding the joke was to ease her tension. She turned back to the ladder and raised her hands, gripping a bar slightly higher than her head tightly, as she stepped onto the first rung. "Got a good grip?"

"Yeah," Clementine replied, focusing her eyes on the next rung for her hand to grip and nothing more, refusing to look either left or right.

"When I was a kid," Luke began, causing Clementine to smile as he tried to distract her from her fears and help her climb easier. "We used to jump rooftops downtown. Now  _that_  was fun."

"That sounds stupid..." Clementine laughed, the very thought of Luke jumping between rooftops ludicrous to her.

"Yeah," Luke agreed distantly, chuckling himself. "Yeah, it was. The trick was not to look down, though." Clementine kept climbing, letting Luke's voice wash over her and calm her nerves as she slowly moved higher. As she placed her foot down on the next rung, she felt it slip immediately away.

"Aah!" She gasped, hands scrabbling for a moment to grasp a rung. She missed the first rung, but managed to snag the second, pulling herself flat against the ladder and getting her feet settled on a rung as she panted for breath and got her racing heart under control.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Luke called, sounding panicked himself, though he was clearly trying to stay calm for her own sake. "You're fine!" He said slowly, though Clementine couldn't tell if he was trying to reassure her, or himself. "You're fine, just look at me, okay? You're fine." He reassured her, and she felt a laugh bubble in her throat at the thought of him repeating himself so much. "All right, just... just slow down. Just for a second, okay? You got your grip?"

"You literally  _just_ told me  _not_ to look down." Clementine managed to gasp, laughing at his stunned pause.

"Good point." He said after a brief silence.

"You are such a dork." Clementine called, laughing when she heard his offended huff. She loosened her tight grip on the ladder, and proceeded to climb once more, rising quickly to the platform this time in a rush to finally be off the ladder itself.

"Well just for that, I ain't making no special efforts to catch you if you fall anymore." Luke grumbled up to her, making her laugh again as she peered over the edge of the platform to poke her tongue out at him. He returned the gesture with a grin, clearly as relieved as she was that she was off the ladder for now. There was little room to move at the top, as well as an oddly fearless raven perched on the thin railing before her. She stepped away from the small hole that led to the ladder, and looked out at the awe inspiring view before her. Even in the failing light, her breath caught from the beauty of it.

"See anything?" Luke called, and Clementine merely rolled her eyes as she grabbed her binoculars from her bag. She raised them to her eyes, and looked out into the distance from whence they had come. She tracked the cable car line, following it down towards the river and then following the bridge to the trees on the opposite bank. It was so dark though that she could barely make out one tree from another. There was nothing to suggest there was anyone there, or even that they had been themselves.

"No, its too dark. If there's anything to see, it will have to wait til morning." She cursed herself as she realized she had basically volunteered to climb back up the following morning, but her attention was drawn by the faint sound of raised voices. Clementine lowered the binoculars, turning towards the cabin, where she saw Luke running to the rest of her group, where they were faced against newcomers. Her heart leapt into her throat, racing at the thought of one of her people being hurt while she was stuck up a ladder. She hastily tucked her binoculars in her bag, and turned to the ladder, throwing a final glance to the disruption to find Luke with his hands raised between their group and the newcomers, clearly trying to diffuse whatever issue had arisen.

She gulped and turned, hurriedly stepping back onto the ladder and climbing down much faster than she had climbed up. Whether it was the fear for the others, or the adrenaline in her system that was distracting her from her fears of the ladder, she didn't even know. She touched the solid ground and was immediately running towards her group, her heart pounding as she tore across the grass towards the cabin balcony where they were all gathered.

"Listen, everyone," Luke's voice was the first clear one she was able to hear, as he tried to diffuse both sides. "Just, stay calm."

"Who are you?!" Came a voice she didn't know, what sounded like a woman with a heavy accent. "Are you trying to rob us?!" She demanded. Clementine reached the back of her group and could see Luke shooting Nick concerned glances from beside him, though Nick was entirely focused on the other group before them. His gun was raised, pointed straight at them, and Clementine couldn't help but mirror Luke's concern. She tried to edge closer to the two, hoping to calm Nick and his itchy trigger finger.

"Excuse me honey, but do I look like a fucking thief?" Rebecca sneered, eyeing the other woman with distaste, or so Clementine assumed.

"Everyone calm down." Another voice said, and to Clementine the man sounded fair and calm himself.

"Hey man, you calm the fuck down." Alvin replied, and Clementine sighed as she rolled her eyes, and continued to try and get closer to Luke and Nick.

"Sarah, get behind me!" Carlos ordered, and Clementine frowned towards the man. The girl was already behind him anyway, why he felt he needed to tell her to do it, Clementine couldn't work out. It wasn't like she could get any  _more_  behind him than she already was.

"Just, tell us who you are." The man tried again, asking firmly but still attempting to keep things civil.

"We ain't here to rob nobody. Put the gun down, man." Alvin said.

"Fuck that!" Clementine froze at the new voice. Her heart raced as she recognized the voice, her mind traveling back to the countless days she had spent with it spewing curses into the air around her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Luke cried, his arms raising in a placating gesture. Clementine turned slowly towards him, her eyes followed the movements of his hands as he tried to calm the newest addition to the conversation, but Clementine couldn't see his movements any further, so lost in her own memories of the past. Her eyes drifted away, her head turned to the floor as her haunted past claimed her mind.

"Please, just do what he says!" The heavily accented woman pleaded. Clementine's eyes widened, as her feet moved without her permission, carrying her slowly forward to stand before the rest of her group. She heard a startled gasp from beside her, and raised her head, though it wasn't to reassure Luke, but to meet the surprised pair of eyes ahead of her. She moved forward, as the newcomer lowered his gun. Clementine reached out one hand to grasp at Luke, feeling his hand clasp her own firmly, giving her strength, before she tore her hand free and slowly stepped forward.

"Holy shit..." She breathed, and the man barked a short laugh, surprised to hear her use such language. She finally halted just before him, raising a hand to his, in her opinion, stupid looking beard. The rough fuzz confirmed that she wasn't dreaming, and she was jolted back to reality as Luke's voice tentatively spoke up.

"Wait, you know this guy..?" Clementine half turned towards her friend and saw that Nick was holding him back, though watching her with just as much concern and Luke himself. She nodded at them both almost imperceptibly. Luke glanced between her and the newcomer, clearly still worried about her closeness to someone who had previously had a rifle aimed at them all.

"... Clementine..?" The almost broken voice drew Clementine's gaze, and at the first glimpse of his amazed expression, she threw her arms around the mans waist and hugged him tightly, feeling his own arms wrap almost as tight around her shoulders. The world seemed to stand still, the memories overwhelming her to the point that she almost expected Lee to come busting in, complaining about his friend making him do all the work while he relaxed and got hugs. But reality slapped her in the face, as the cool evening wind blew against her tear soaked cheeks and woke her from her memories. She pulled away from the man who was Lee's best friend, her eyes on the floor as she put some distance between them again.

The man sunk down to his knees, his eyes searching for her own beneath her cap. Clementine felt her breath come faster, her heart racing as all her emotions swept into one burst of sudden fury. She clenched her hands into tight fists, as she raised her eyes to meet with those of the older man before her.

"You sonofabitch!" She cried, smashing her fist into the side of his face. The adults gathered around were too shocked by the sudden change in the two's re-acquaintance to react, as the man fell on his ass and Clementine immediately launched herself forward, grabbing his jacket lapels as she shook him as hard as she could, before slamming her fists into his chest as she knelt before him. "How could you leave him there? He was your best friend, you bastard!" She screamed, ignoring the small part of her that was trying to regain control and stop her outburst. "How could you?! You left him there, all alone - and with only one fucking arm! He thought you were dead! He... He..." Clementine hiccuped, her rage dissipating as fast as it had blown up inside her. She slammed her fist softly into his chest once more, before a sob tore itself from her chest. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to find Luke kneeling beside her. She allowed him to pull her into a hug, burying her face into his shoulder and allowing her tears to fall into his jumper.

"Hey, whoa now," Luke joked, though his voice was tight from the worry he so clearly felt. "Remember what I said about this jumper, Clem. I don't want your tears all ruinin' my favorite jumper, dude." Clementine laughed, looking up at him with wet cheeks that she hastily scrubbed with her sleeve. She turned back towards the man who remained sat before her, eyeing her with concern and barely suppressed shame.

"Kenny, I'm so sorry... I just-I didn't mean... I'm sorry. I was just so..."

"It's alright, Clem." Kenny said gruffly, getting to his feet with a small smile. He offered her his hand and pulled her to her feet when she accepted his help. "Ain't nothin' I haven't said to myself a hundred times over." He said sadly, landing a pretend jab to her shoulder. She chuckled, and rubbed at her shoulder even though she hadn't even felt his hand touch her. "These people with you?" He asked, gesturing to Luke, who now stood beside them. Clementine nodded, pulling her lip gently between her teeth. "Well then, we can talk inside." Kenny said, looking directly at Luke for the first time since he had spotted Clementine.

"Great, I just started dinner." Said the slightly rounded man behind Kenny, apparently pleased that the violence he had expected had instead been avoided.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Clementine rolled her eyes at Carlos's question, wondering why anyone would offer food to people if they did in fact, mind.

"It's gonna storm soon. Please, come in." The other man said, walking towards the front entrance of the cabin. Clementine followed behind Kenny, feeling the shock finally work out of her system. She felt a gentle knock to her side, and looked up to find Luke watching her worriedly. She smiled as best she could, and reached out to wrap her arm around his, leaning on him slightly as they walked together towards what could well be a new beginning for them all. She bit her lip, knowing that she and Kenny had a lot to discuss, her outburst not included. She just hoped the two groups could get along, because then, just maybe, they would all be able to help each other when Carver finally came knocking on their door again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so - I know I mass posted today but, well, I had most of this ready - and had just written the latest chapter... so, well I thought why the hell am I keeping it hidden, its not a hostage - its for YOU so, why not just post it all and try to keep ahead with weekly updates?
> 
> I'm hoping to get one more out for the 20th which will be this stories birthday (I first started writing it one year ago that day) so I will hopefully see you all then! Please let me know what you think, let me know if you're reading so I don't get all lazy and distracted again and I actually keep on top of updates :p
> 
> Thankyou so so much for reading, I hope to update soon!
> 
> x My love to you all x

**Author's Note:**

> x My love to you all x


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